Stand With Crypto backs US midterm candidates

TLDR

Coinbase-backed advocacy group Stand With Crypto has endorsed several US congressional candidates ahead of the 2026 midterms, making crypto policy a clear campaign issue in key races.

1. Stand With Crypto is backing a bipartisan slate of Senate and House candidates it rates as supportive of clear crypto regulation.
2. These endorsements sit alongside tens of millions of dollars in crypto-aligned PAC spending and follow the Senates failure to advance the CLARITY Act.
3. The big question is whether pro-crypto candidates gain seats, which would shape if and how a comprehensive US crypto framework returns after 2026.

Deep Dive

1. Who Stand With Crypto Is Backing

Stand With Crypto, launched by Coinbase in 2023, has formally endorsed candidates for both the US Senate and House ahead of the 2026 midterms. Reports show the group backing Republican Jon Husted in Ohio, Republican Ashley Hinson in Iowa and Democrat Chris Pappas in New Hampshire for Senate, plus Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks in Iowa and Democrat Shomari Figures in Alabama for the House, framing them as digital asset policy champions in public scorecards and voter materials.

The slate is explicitly bipartisan, with Stand With Crypto saying it rates candidates on crypto policy regardless of party, while reserving the right to downgrade lawmakers who vote against industry priorities such as the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act. Unlike a super PAC, the group focuses on voter mobilization and candidate grading rather than direct campaign donations, though highly rated candidates often attract separate industry-aligned PAC money.

2. Why These Endorsements Matter For Crypto

The endorsements come roughly two weeks after the CLARITY Act, a market structure bill dividing oversight between the SEC and CFTC, failed a crucial cloture vote in the Republican-controlled Senate, stalling a major industry priority. Coverage notes that Stand With Crypto previously warned of consequences for senators who opposed the bill and has updated its public scorecards accordingly.

At the same time, crypto political spending is rising. Fairshake, a super PAC funded largely by Coinbase, Ripple Labs and Andreessen Horowitz, has pledged about $30 million to support Husted in Ohio, and had spent around $82 million across races by midyear. Other PACs such as Digital Freedom Fund are also targeting races involving long-time crypto skeptics.

3. What To Watch Next

Polls cited in multiple reports suggest Democrats may be favored to regain control of one or both chambers in 2027, which would directly affect the path for any revived CLARITY-style bill. If pro-crypto candidates backed by Stand With Crypto and aligned PACs win, there is a clearer bloc for revisiting comprehensive market structure legislation and for pressuring agencies on rulemaking.

If they lose, US crypto oversight is more likely to continue evolving primarily through agency guidance and exemptions rather than statutes, which are faster to change but less durable. Voters and market participants should watch the outcomes in Ohio, Iowa, New Hampshire and Alabama, plus how candidate scorecards and crypto funding are framed by both supporters and critics as elections near.

Confidence: moderate to high because multiple independent outlets and advocacy materials describe the same candidate list, spending figures and CLARITY Act context.

Conclusion

Stand With Cryptos midterm endorsements mark a deeper phase of cryptos engagement with US electoral politics. The combination of bipartisan candidate backing, targeted scorecards and heavy PAC spending makes a handful of congressional races potential pivot points for whether the next phase of US crypto rules comes from statute, from the SEC and CFTC alone, or from a mix that reflects how much electoral weight crypto voters and donors actually carry.