Crypto PAC Spending Passes $2 Million in Michigan Race

A crypto industry-aligned political action committee has pushed its spending above $2 million in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, according to final-week Federal Election Commission disclosures.

Protect Progress is supporting Democratic incumbent Shri Thanedar and opposing challenger Donavan McKinney before the Aug. 4 primary. The latest filings added $884,240 in media supporting Thanedar and more than $150,000 in spending against McKinney, nearly doubling the amount reported about a week earlier.

Protect Progress is affiliated with the Fairshake network, which has received major funding from companies including Coinbase and Ripple. It is registered with the FEC as an independent expenditure-only committee, commonly called a super PAC. The spending does not flow directly to any campaign.

Thanedar voted for the stablecoin-focused GENIUS Act and the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act in the House. He described the measures as steps toward clearer rules and consumer safeguards, while acknowledging the bills were “not perfect.” The House-approved CLARITY Act remains under consideration in the Senate.

McKinney used the outside funding to criticize Thanedar’s record. In a July 21 statement, he alleged that “the crypto lobby is paying my opponent back” for votes benefiting digital asset interests. FEC records confirm Protect Progress paid for independent advertisements but do not establish coordination or motivation.

The scale of the outside spending is notable alongside the candidates’ own finances. McKinney’s campaign reported $1.23 million in total disbursements through July 15. Protect Progress’s spending in the race has exceeded that amount, though the figures cover different reporting periods.

Protect Progress has not stated that any specific vote caused its spending decision. The committee generally supports candidates viewed as favorable toward digital asset legislation.

The Michigan race is part of a broader national strategy by Fairshake and its affiliates. Public Citizen estimated that crypto companies had supplied about $189 million during the 2026 election cycle, with Fairshake-linked groups accounting for more than $82 million in expenditures. Those totals reflect the watchdog’s analysis, not a formal FEC finding that every dollar came from one industry source.

Michigan voters will choose the Democratic nominee on Tuesday, Aug. 4. More than 1.03 million residents had voted by July 31, according to the Michigan Department of State. The result will provide a near-term read on whether Protect Progress’s final advertising surge helped Thanedar. Turnout, candidate organizations and local concerns also shape congressional elections, so the outcome alone will not prove that PAC spending decided the race.

Additional FEC notices may appear after voting ends. Later campaign-finance reports should give a fuller account of the committee’s total Michigan spending.