A crypto-focused political action committee has poured $1 million into the Michigan Democratic primary race against incumbent Representative Shri Thanedar, marking one of the largest single expenditures by the industry in a 2026 congressional contest. The PAC, which has not been named in the filings, is backing challenger Donavan McKinney with a wave of ads attacking Thanedar's record.
McKinney's counterpunch
McKinney, a former state representative, didn't mince words about the source of the money. 'The crypto lobby is paying my opponent back for helping Trump,' he said, referring to Thanedar's past support for the former president. The challenger's campaign has tried to turn the outside spending into a liability, framing it as a sign that Thanedar is out of step with the district's working-class voters.
Why this race matters
Michigan's 13th Congressional District is safely Democratic, so the primary on August 4 will effectively decide the seat. Thanedar, first elected in 2022, has drawn criticism from progressives for his centrist votes and his previous donations to Republican causes. The crypto PAC's intervention could tip a low-turnout primary where a few thousand votes often decide the winner.
Industry's political playbook
The $1 million ad buy is the latest sign that crypto interests are willing to spend heavily to shape Congress. In previous cycles, similar PACs have targeted both Republicans and Democrats who they view as hostile to digital assets. Thanedar has not taken a strong position on crypto regulation, but his alliance with Trump — who floated a national bitcoin reserve — may have made him a target for the industry's preferred candidates.
The primary is just under two weeks away. McKinney's campaign says it will continue to highlight the outside money, while Thanedar's team has not commented on the PAC's spending.
