BlockBeats reported on June 21 that Forbes columnist and crypto law and policy expert Tonya M. Evans said political donations from the crypto industry are flowing into Democratic primaries at an unprecedented scale as the 2026 U.S. primary season heats up. The controversy centers on how crypto super PAC money is being deployed in Black districts: the funding comes from the crypto industry, the candidates supported are aligned with crypto interests, yet the voter-facing advertisements focus on issues such as immigration enforcement, Donald Trump and the cost of living, without mentioning cryptocurrency.
Protect Progress backs Adrian Boafo in Maryland
Protect Progress, the Democratic arm of the Fairshake network funded by Coinbase, Ripple and a16z, has spent more than $4.9 million to support Maryland House candidate Adrian Boafo. Boafo is running in the state’s Fifth District, a district with a large Black population. The ads in the district discuss limiting ICE enforcement, opposing Trump and addressing living costs, but they do not mention crypto or explain the connection between the campaign support and the crypto industry behind the funding.
Former MSNBC host Joy Reid described the tactic on her program as “Blackwashing.” In her framing, an industry is using a progressive image to channel money into Black districts and support Black candidates, while the ads speak only about everyday economic and social issues and deliberately leave out the industry identity of the financial backers. Evans placed the criticism within a broader pattern of crypto political giving, saying the Maryland case is not an isolated example.
The same playbook appears in Texas and Georgia
Evans noted that the same crypto PAC network has also spent heavily in other Democratic primaries. In Texas, the network spent more than $5 million to help 38-year-old Christian Menefee defeat 78-year-old anti-crypto veteran Al Green. In Georgia, it spent about $4 million to help Jasmine Clark win an open primary. These contests follow the same template described by Evans: a pro-crypto candidate, substantial industry-backed funding, advertisements focused on everyday issues, and no mention of crypto in the voter-facing message.
Evans emphasized that the dividing line for crypto money is not race, but whether a candidate is a “friend or critic.” She said crypto super PACs have also spent large sums to defeat Black Democratic lawmakers who oppose crypto. The deeper fight is tied to the U.S. Senate’s cryptocurrency market structure legislation, the CLARITY Act. According to the report, the bill passed the Senate Banking Committee by a 15–9 vote on May 14 and was placed on the legislative calendar on June 1, where it is awaiting a full Senate vote. Maryland Senator Angela Alsobrooks was a key figure in moving the bill out of committee and has also publicly endorsed Boafo.