A new poll conducted by consultancy company McLaughlin and Associates suggested that issues related to digital assets could have a significant impact on the 2026 US midterm elections.
According to the results of a survey released on Wednesday by the crypto advocacy organization Digital Chamber, the majority of a group of 800 respondents — 64% — said candidates’ positions on cryptocurrency were “very important” when considering whether they would vote for them.
While 38% of the respondents said they identified as Democrats, 37% of the group said they would trust Republican candidates more to advance crypto policies.
“As redistricting continues to reshape safe districts into tighter races next year, the midterms could be decided by just a few votes,” said the Digital Chamber. “Acting before Congress leaves next year to campaign on the big issues in crypto, like digital asset market structure legislation, a federal strategic Bitcoin reserve, or even anti‑CBDC legislation could gain traction with these voters.”
During the 2024 US elections, many high‑profile figures in the crypto and blockchain industry weighed in on candidates, while advocacy groups and political action committees (PACs) attempted to sway voters toward those they considered “pro‑crypto” candidates.
The result was a US Congress filled with about 270 lawmakers with favorable views on digital assets, according to the Coinbase‑affiliated group Stand With Crypto.
Related: Near Foundation is working on an AI ‘digital twin’ for governance votes
Is crypto already playing a role in the 2025 elections?
Though 2025 has fewer elections than will be held in 2026, when every seat in the US House of Representatives and many in the Senate will be up for grabs, there have already been some races potentially influenced by money from the crypto industry.
Protect Progress, a crypto‑aligned PAC affiliated with Fairshake that spent more than $130 million to support or oppose candidates in 2024, also pledged more than $1 million to support Democrat James Walkinshaw in a primary for a House seat representing Virginia’s 11th congressional district. Walkinshaw won the special election, which was held in September.
Defend American Jobs, another Fairshake affiliate, spent more than $1.5 million to support candidates in elections for two Florida House seats. Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine, both Republicans, won their special elections, which were held in April.
Whether the industry plans to spend as much or more money on the 2026 midterms as it did last year remains to be seen, but big players like Coinbase have already contributed millions of dollars to Fairshake. Depending on the outcome, Republicans could widen their slim majority in the House and Senate or lose control entirely to Democrats.