Former Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) has found himself targeted by the crypto industry once again, with crypto’s premiere super PAC, Fairshake, rolling out a $30 million campaign against Brown just two years after spending $41 million to defeat him.
The New York Times reports that the Fairshake PAC is in the early stages of a second eight-figure ad campaign against Brown. In 2024, the same PAC targeted Brown for being both a critic of the industry and the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee. Brown lost by 3.5 points and is now running for the state’s other Senate seat against appointed Sen. Jon Husted.
Sherrod Brown, Source: Sherrod Brown Facebook
The move comes just after Senate Democrats killed the Clarity Act, an industry friendly crypto regulation bill. Democrats who opposed the bill cited a desire to add stronger language that would prevent public officials, like President Donald Trump, from making money on crypto currency. In just the first year of his second term, Trump made roughly $1.4 billion from his cryptocurrency business, per a mandatory financial disclosure.
The intervention against Brown represents a significant new obstacle for Democrats who are hoping to retake control of the Senate in 2026. Ohio is among the states most crucial to achieve this, alongside North Carolina, Maine, Iowa, Michigan, Alaska, New Hampshire, and Texas.
A key difference between the 2026 and 2024 campaigns is that Brown likely wouldn’t head the Senate Banking Committee if he returns to the Senate next year. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), currently serves as the ranking member and would be next in line for the chairship if Democrats take control of the upper chamber.