Crypto-backed political committees just spent more than $9M to reshape Texas politics in a single primary cycle, and they won nearly every race they touched. The most striking result: Houston Democrat Rep. Al Green, a 19-term incumbent and vocal crypto critic, was defeated in the Texas Primary Runoffs by fellow Democrat Christian Menefee after Fairshake PAC flooded the district with money and messaging.
The detail that makes this more than a typical political spending story is the bipartisan architecture behind it. Fairshake didn’t just back Republicans. Its Democratic affiliate, Protect Progress, and its Republican affiliate, Defend American Jobs, operated simultaneously across multiple Texas districts, ensuring that whichever party wins in November will almost certainly be crypto-friendly.
Crypto-backed super PAC Fairshake spent $6.5 million to unseat 20-year Democratic incumbent Al Green in Texas's 18th District.
He is the first Democratic incumbent this cycle to lose his seat.
Fairshake’s statement: "Rep. Green’s defeat proves that anti-crypto hostility… pic.twitter.com/Tq7LaFWA7s
— TFTC (@TFTC21) May 27, 2026
Here is the central tension this article unpacks: an industry that markets itself on decentralization and freedom from institutional control just deployed $9M to centralize political power in its favor, and it worked so cleanly in Texas that it’s now being treated as the blueprint for the 2026 midterms nationwide.
This news dropped as Bitcoin USD fell -1.4% overnight, losing $76,000 and currently trading for $75,600 with a daily spot trading volume figure of $36.5Bn.
Crypto Texas Power Grab: What Fairshake Actually Spent and Why It Worked
Fairshake operates in Texas like a franchise, with a parent organization setting strategy and allocating resources while specialized units focus on different political districts. Protect Progress works with Democrats, while Defend American Jobs handles Republicans, both reporting to the same crypto-industry donors.
In the Democratic primary runoff for Texas’s 18th Congressional District, Fairshake’s funding helped Menefee defeat Green, who opposed key crypto legislation and received an ‘F’ from Stand With Crypto. Fairshake spokesperson Geoff Vetter stated that Green’s loss demonstrates the electoral consequences of anti-crypto stances and emphasized continued support for pro-crypto leaders like Menefee.
On the Republican side, Fellowship PAC invested $500,000 in Ken Paxton’s successful challenge against Senator John Cornyn, while Defend American Jobs spent around $1.8 million backing four Republican candidates in runoffs, all of whom won. Low-turnout runoffs are strategic targets for well-funded political networks.
Texas was chosen as a testbed due to its significance in Bitcoin mining, fueled by the deregulated ERCOT grid. In 2024, large crypto mining operations consumed about 14.7 million MWh, making mining policy crucial to debates over energy and grid reliability. Thus, controlling the legislature regulating ERCOT holds tremendous value for the crypto industry, far exceeding the $9M spent.
DISCOVER: 10+ Next Crypto to 100X In 2025
US Crypto Politics: Why the Lone Star State Is Ground Zero for the Industry
Texas has become a key player in the crypto industry due to its mining-friendly regulations, including extremely low industrial power rates, sales tax exemptions on electricity for miners, and demand-response programs.
These programs have proven lucrative; for instance, in August 2023, miner Riot Platforms earned around $31.7M from energy credits, more than double its Bitcoin mining revenue that month.
The Texas Blockchain Council and other groups have actively lobbied since 2021 for favorable laws related to self-custody, virtual currencies, and miners’ rights. In 2025, Texas even established a strategic cryptocurrency reserve, making it the first state to hold Bitcoin on its balance sheet.
However, consumer advocates and environmental organizations view this growth critically. Public Citizen reports that crypto miners consume electricity equivalent to that of over 1 million homes while benefiting from tax breaks that burden ordinary Texans.
Earthjustice warns that if crypto mining increases significantly, residential power prices could rise dramatically, placing the financial impact on everyday ratepayers rather than the miners.
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