On September 15, the US Senate voted 49–50 not to advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act for further consideration, reducing the likelihood of its passage before 2027. In response, the political action committee Fairshake, supported by Coinbase and Ripple Labs, plans to allocate $30 million to a campaign against Sherrod Brown in the Ohio Senate race.

Key House and Senate races in 42 days

Control of the House of Representatives and the Senate will be determined in the 2026 midterm elections, which are 42 days away. Some industry supporters expect increased crypto industry spending to influence key districts following the CLARITY vote failure. Previously, Brown chaired the Senate Banking Committee when Democrats held the majority and supported several initiatives opposing the crypto sector, making his potential return a challenge for any new vote on the bill. Economist Paul Krugman noted that if Brown wins, he could become one of the decisive votes in a potential Democratic majority, adding that the party "is not immune to financial influence... even to de facto bribery from crypto."

Steve Gannon, partner at Davis Wright Tremaine, stated that the vote outcome "gave the industry a clear understanding of who is a reliable supporter and who is not," and that those who voted against will find it difficult to expect financial backing from the sector in the midterms. Some supporters do not rule out another attempt to bring CLARITY to a vote before the next Congressional session.

Stand With Crypto warns of "consequences" after the vote

Stand With Crypto, an initiative launched by Coinbase in 2023, warned that lawmakers who did not support advancing CLARITY may face "consequences" in the 2026 elections. The organization, which rates politicians based on their stance on cryptocurrencies, said, "The voting results show who is with our community and who is against; we will ensure supporters are ready to vote accordingly," said executive director Mason Lynaugh.

No new crypto PAC spending reported to FEC after CLARITY

As of Monday, Fairshake and affiliated PACs — Defend American Jobs and Protect Progress — had not reported expenditures to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) following the CLARITY vote. Fellowship (funded by Cantor Fitzgerald and Anchorage Digital) and Digital Freedom Fund (supported by Gemini co-founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss) also had not reported spending. In the 2024 election cycle, Fairshake spent over $130 million on advertising and about $41 million on a campaign against the Democrat in Ohio, who lost re-election to Republican Bernie Moreno.