Stand With Crypto Endorses 32 House Candidates for 2026 Midterms

Stand With Crypto is backing 32 candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections, putting its weight behind incumbents who supported the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. The advocacy group, which campaigns for crypto-friendly policy in Washington, scores lawmakers on digital-asset issues, issues election recommendations, and mobilizes its registered supporters. Unlike the industry's super PACs, it does not center its strategy on large-scale direct spending for campaign advertising. Coinbase launched the organization in 2023 and continues to fund it. The group says it has more than 3 million registered "advocates" nationwide. The latest endorsement list includes Republicans Warren Davidson, Tom Emmer, Bill Huizenga, Juan Ciscomani and Brian Fitzpatrick, along with Democrats Ritchie Torres and Josh Gottheimer. All endorsed incumbents share the same key vote: they supported the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act in the House. The bill would establish the first comprehensive federal framework governing U.S. crypto markets. The House passed it in July 2025 by 294–134, including 78 Democrats. The measure has remained stalled in the Senate since then, where advancing to debate requires 60 votes rather than a simple majority. Stand With Crypto says it intentionally favors incumbents with a recorded legislative track record, emphasizing votes over party labels. In March 2026, the group issued its first-time endorsements for six House members: Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), Susie Lee (D-Nevada) and Mike Lawler (R-New York), as well as Don Davis (D-North Carolina), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) and Rob Bresnahan (R-Pennsylvania). It also launched a Voter Hub that publicly rates officeholders based on their crypto policy positions. Executive Director Mason Lynaugh casts the midterms as a pivotal moment for crypto policy and argues that candidates from both parties are trying to reach voters beyond their traditional bases. In his view, ignoring crypto voters carries political risk. For the organization, the cycle is also a test of its ability to turn supporter registration into turnout. Senate ethics dispute tied to Trump's crypto income threatens Clarity Act In the Senate, Sept. 15 is set to determine whether the Clarity Act reaches debate at all. A procedural cloture vote is scheduled, and it requires 60 votes—a threshold not currently in sight. The main obstacle is an unresolved fight over ethics language related to President Donald Trump's personal crypto income. Negotiators from both parties have been working for weeks on an ethics clause, without agreement. Trump agreed in July 2026 to an initial version that would bar officeholders and their spouses from issuing or promoting digital assets, applying broadly rather than singling out the president. Democrats argue the provision is ineffective because enforcement would rest only with the Justice Department. Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Thom Tillis want to extend enforcement to state attorneys general as well, a bipartisan proposal the White House has not accepted. Without Democratic support, the bill cannot reach 60 votes. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a key Democratic negotiator, has said the existing clause is unenforceable. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in mid-August found 63% of 1,166 U.S. adults surveyed viewed Trump's crypto profits as inappropriate. "We can pass smart, clear rules for digital assets and at the same time prevent the president from enriching himself. It takes an enforceable ban, and any market structure bill that leaves enforcement solely to the president's Justice Department and allows him to profit from crypto is not reform. It is a free pass." — Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator (D-New York) How crypto super PACs have shaped races The sector has already demonstrated the impact of direct spending. In 2024, the crypto committee Fairshake initially pledged USD 12 million to support Republican Bernie Moreno in Ohio. Roughly USD 40 million ultimately flowed into the race through Fairshake and allied committees. Moreno defeated crypto-skeptical incumbent Sherrod Brown, then chair of the Senate Banking Committee. Ohio is again a focal point in 2026. Brown is seeking to return to the Senate and will face Republican Jon Husted in November. This time, the Sentinel Action Fund and its affiliate Right Vote pledged USD 8 million in support of Husted in April, putting multi-million-dollar spending on the table early in the cycle. Overall, the crypto industry has already directed about USD 200 million into the midterms. Fairshake alone reported about USD 141 million in funds in July. Against those totals, Stand With Crypto's 32 endorsements are comparatively modest, but they target a different asset: organized voters in individual districts. Why Stand With Crypto is holding off on Senate endorsements For now, the group is not issuing Senate recommendations, saying those will come later, closer to the November election. That caution comes even as the Clarity Act remains stuck in the chamber. The six lawmakers endorsed in March are all running for the House, not the Senate. Senators also have not voted on the Clarity Act, leaving the group without the kind of clear voting record it prioritizes. The bill has been in the Senate for more than a year. Outstanding issues include stablecoin yields and concerns about financing illegal activity. Since summer, the ethics dispute has dominated talks. Whether the White House will accept the Gallego-Tillis enforcement proposal remains unresolved, making the Sept. 15 cloture vote a key test. If cloture fails, the bill will not reach the floor. Voters in November will ultimately decide the makeup of the next Congress.