Crypto PAC adds $1M in Michigan’s 13th District primary

Protect Progress PAC, funded largely by contributions from Ripple Labs and Coinbase, reported about $1.03 million in additional media spending to support Rep. Shri Thanedar and oppose Democratic challenger Donavan McKinney in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District primary, according to Federal Election Commission filings dated Thursday. The filings show $884,240 in ad buys explicitly backing Thanedar and just over $150,000 aimed at opposing McKinney, bringing the PAC’s total spending in the race to more than $2 million. The primary is scheduled for next Tuesday.

Protect Progress is an affiliate of the Fairshake PAC network. Fairshake and its affiliates spent heavily in the 2024 election cycle and have made multi-million-dollar outlays in 2026 races in states including Texas and Illinois. Public Citizen reported Fairshake and its affiliates accounted for more than $82 million of roughly $189 million that crypto companies spent during the 2026 election cycle. Fairshake reported holding about $193 million as of January.

Thanedar, who represents Michigan’s 13th District, has supported legislation favored by crypto firms. He voted for the GENIUS Act, backed the Senate’s Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act and cosponsored the Promoting Innovation in Blockchain Development Act, which aims to protect blockchain developers.

In a July 21 statement, McKinney criticized the outside spending, calling it “the crypto lobby is paying my opponent back for helping Trump make over $1 billion since taking office.” That comment referenced public disclosures that the U.S. president reported earning more than $1.4 billion from crypto investments in 2025, including proceeds tied to the memecoin Official Trump (TRUMP) and activities linked to World Liberty Financial.

FEC filings show other activity by Fairshake-linked groups. Defend American Jobs PAC purchased more than $65,000 in media to support a Republican in Washington’s 4th Congressional District, where primaries fall on the same day as Michigan’s. The affiliate also spent more than $511,000 on media to back former Rep. Jerry Carl Jr. in Alabama’s 1st District ahead of that state’s primaries on Aug. 11.

Thanedar’s campaign and McKinney’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

FEC records show targeted media buys by crypto industry-aligned PACs in multiple states ahead of congressional primaries.