Defend American Jobs Spent $24 Million in Ohio Senate Race in September

Defend American Jobs spent about $24 million in Ohio’s Senate race in September, with most of that month’s spending backing Republican Sen. Jon Husted against former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

The crypto-aligned committee directed about $18.6 million toward supporting Husted and $5.7 million toward opposing Brown. Fairshake transferred more than $24 million to its affiliate Defend American Jobs during the same month.

Defend American Jobs’ previously reported Ohio spending stood at $46.6 million for the election cycle as of Oct. 17. The September spending accounted for more than half that total. Together with spending by the Digital Freedom Fund, crypto-aligned committees had put more than $52 million into the race by that point.

The Digital Freedom Fund had spent more than $5.9 million in Ohio supporting Husted and opposing Brown. That figure was its cumulative spending in the race as of Oct. 17, rather than an additional September outlay. Most of the fund’s backing came from Winklevoss Capital Fund, LLC.

Husted has supported the CLARITY Act. Brown, a former chair of the Senate Banking Committee, called crypto “speculative products run by reckless companies.”

Brown lost his 2024 reelection bid to Republican Bernie Moreno, who won 50.2% of the vote to Brown’s 46.4%. Crypto-aligned committees also spent heavily in that contest, supporting Moreno and opposing Brown.

Defend American Jobs continued spending in October to support Husted and oppose Brown. Early voting is underway in Ohio ahead of the November election.