Voters in the 11th District of Congress of the United States of Virginia will select a replacement for late representative Gerry Connolly in a special election that can be influenced by money from the cryptocurrency industry.
On Tuesday, Virginia residents who did not vote early head in polls to decide whether to choose Democrat James Walkinshaw or Republican Stewart Whitson to replace Connolly following his death in May while serving in the US Congress.
While the candidate did not appear to take a strong position on digital assets or blockchain for the campaign, a cryptocurrency supported by the political action committee (PAC) could still influence the outcome.
According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings, the Progress PAC, a fairshake, protects the progress, Spend more than $ 1 million In the media it was purchased in June to support Walkinshaw at the main democratic party.
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FEC Filings on Tuesday suggested that there were no further significant expenditures from the crypto industry, reporting Walkinshaw of over $ 1 million in campaign contributions to Whitson’s nearly $ 224,000.
The election on Tuesday could serve as a bell for how the fairshake and its affiliates were planning to approach the US election in 2025 and more after spending more than $ 130 million to select “pro-crypto” lawmakers or push “anti-crypto” to 2024.
The cointelegraph reached the Fairshake and Walkinshaw campaign to comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Related: Crypto companies spent $ 134M in 2024 US elections, raising concerns over influence
Many news outlets have suggested that Walkinshaw is favored to win against Whitson in the district, which is considered a democratic evidence.
If he succeeds on Tuesday, the election will narrow most of the Republicans in the US House of Representative, which potentially require members to rely on democratic support to pass the law.
2025 elections potentially influenced by cryptocurrency
After its participation in the election in 2024, a fairshake affiliate, defend jobs in America, Spend more than $ 1.5 million To support Republican candidates in election for two seats in Florida House. Candidates, Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine, both won their election in April.
This is a similar story to the state and local level. Individuals connected to certain crypto companies Contributed a joint $ 4,000 for candidates In New Jersey’s gubernatorial primaries in June.
Some significant players, such as Gemini co-founder Tyler Winklevoss, also have suggested they could engage In the election for the next mayor of New York City, which is scheduled for November.
In a statement to Cointelegraph in July, a Fairshake spokesman said that PAC held more than $ 141 millionwhich has intended it to use in the future federal US elections, including 2026 midterms.
If the PAC spends more than 2026 than it was done in 2024, no one says what it might say for the control of the Chamber or Senate Party starting in 2027.
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