Protect Progress, the Democratic-facing affiliate of crypto industry super PAC Fairshake, spent $189,527.60 supporting Representative Jake Auchincloss before he defeated Democratic challenger Jason Poulos in the Massachusetts’ Fourth Congressional District primary on 1 September.
Unofficial results showed Auchincloss winning 72.3% of the vote, receiving 36,367 votes to Poulos’ 13,938, or 27.7%. The result puts the incumbent on course to seek a fourth term in the House as cryptocurrency companies and investors increase their involvement in the 2026 US elections.
A filing by Protect Progress disclosed the expenditure on media supporting Auchincloss. Independent expenditure groups can campaign for or against candidates, but are not allowed to coordinate that spending with the candidates or their campaigns.
Poulos criticised the intervention, claiming some of the money had funded “AI-generated slop mailers.” However, neither the Federal Election Commission disclosure nor materials issued by Poulos established that Auchincloss or his campaign had helped produce the advertisements.
Protect Progress is Fairshake’s Democratic-aligned affiliate. Fairshake is a super PAC backed by major crypto companies and investors, and also works with Defend American Jobs, which mainly supports Republican candidates.
The network uses independent advertising to back politicians it views as favourable to digital asset policy. Its Massachusetts spending was lower than the sums used in several earlier congressional primaries, although no official statement from Fairshake described the figure as a deliberate strategic reduction.
Fairshake and its affiliates had previously spent more than $8m in congressional primaries in Maryland, New York and Utah. Protect Progress directed a large share of that spending towards Democratic candidates, including Adrian Boafo and Ritchie Torres, as scrutiny of outside political spending increased.
The network also supported candidates in Michigan and Washington during August. Those results extended its record in the 2026 election cycle after Fairshake entered the campaign with a reported $193m war chest and added victories in both states.
The Massachusetts expenditure was not paid directly to Auchincloss or his campaign. Under FEC rules, independent spending is treated separately from contributions to a candidate because the outside organisation decides how to use the money without coordinating with the campaign.
Poulos wrote to Auchincloss on 16 August, asking him to “publicly renounce” Protect Progress’ activity. He updated the letter on 28 August after the PAC reported further expenditure.
According to the letter, Protect Progress spent $189,527.60 on four mailers supporting Auchincloss. Poulos alleged the material used artificial intelligence and criticised the PAC for intervening in a Democratic primary without mentioning cryptocurrency in the advertisements.
Poulos also said Auchincloss had received $77,500 from crypto industry sources since 2020. That figure came from an analysis by the challenger’s campaign and was not the sum listed in Protect Progress’ independent expenditure notice.
Auchincloss’ voting record offers the clearest link to the industry’s policy priorities. He voted for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act when the House approved the legislation in July 2025.
The bill would create a federal market structure for digital assets and divide regulatory responsibilities between the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It remains before the Senate and has not become law.
Stand With Crypto separately endorsed 32 House lawmakers who voted for the legislation. The Coinbase-backed organisation is using congressional voting records in its campaign to help return supporters of the CLARITY Act, underlining the importance of the House vote to the crypto industry’s electoral strategy.
Auchincloss’ margin was decisive, although the result does not show how many voters were influenced by Protect Progress’ advertising. Campaign material was one factor in a contest involving an incumbent with established name recognition and fundraising advantages.
Poulos’ objections also highlighted a wider question about Fairshake’s approach. The PAC network often runs advertisements presenting candidates through issues that are not directly related to cryptocurrency, enabling it to reach voters who may not regard digital asset regulation as a priority.
Fairshake has defended the model as a means of electing lawmakers who support clearer rules for blockchain companies. Critics say advertisements should be more open about the industry interests financing them. Those are political arguments, rather than findings made by election regulators.
None of the FEC allegations in the cited records accused Protect Progress of coordinating with Auchincloss or breaking campaign finance law. Poulos called on the incumbent to reject the support, but candidates cannot directly control lawful independent spending carried out by outside groups.
The Massachusetts primary was one of the final state contests before the 3 November general election. Fairshake said in August that its network had $122m available for the autumn campaign after victories in dozens of House and Senate races.
That figure differs from the balance of Fairshake’s main committee because reported network totals can include affiliated organisations. The FEC’s Fairshake summary showed the main committee held about $113m on 31 July and had no debts.
The funds still available give the network the ability to enter competitive races during the final months of the campaign. Its activity in 2024 showed that spending can increase sharply once groups identify contests where advertising could affect control of Congress.
The wider political consequences extend beyond individual candidates. Control of the House and Senate will influence the prospects for the CLARITY Act and other digital asset proposals. The House approved the market structure bill in 2025, but Senate negotiations have continued over the allocation of regulatory authority and the treatment of decentralised finance.
Auchincloss will appear on the November ballot after his primary victory. Protect Progress has not announced further spending in his general election contest, while Fairshake has said it will continue supporting candidates in House and Senate races.
