Fairshake Spends $12.1 Million to Boost Barry Moore in Alabama Runoff
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 16
Fairshake Spends $12.1 Million to Boost Barry Moore in Alabama Runoff
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 16
Summary
$12.1 million from crypto super PAC Fairshake and allied groups has made Barry Moore's Alabama Republican primary runoff the industry's biggest midterm wager yet, with most of the money going to ads and direct mail.
$9.8 million of that total went to advertising, according to AdImpact, as Fairshake leaned on Moore's pro-crypto voting record and highlighted Donald Trump's endorsement in a race still seen as competitive.
Defend American Jobs, tied to Fairshake, spent about $7 million before the first round and another $3 million in the runoff, dwarfing support for Jared Hudson, whose main outside backer spent nearly $700,000.
Fairshake entered May with about $150 million on hand and is expected to save much of it for the fall, even after a failed $9 million effort against Democrat Julianna Stratton in Illinois.
With a $150M war chest, where will the crypto industry aim its political spending after the primaries?
How does the crypto lobby translate campaign cash into favorable laws for digital assets?
$12 Million Crypto Industry Bet Fails: Barry Moore’s Defeat in the 2026 Alabama Senate Runoff
Overview
In the May 2026 Alabama U.S. Senate primary runoff, Barry Moore suffered a decisive defeat to Jared Hudson, with 61 percent of voters casting ballots against him. Despite Moore’s campaign being bolstered by a massive influx of funds from crypto-affiliated PACs—including a $12 million investment from a leading crypto industry PAC—he failed to secure the nomination. This unexpected outcome sparked questions about the effectiveness of unprecedented cryptocurrency spending in state races, highlighting that even significant financial backing could not overcome voter sentiment and local dynamics in Alabama.