Protect Progress, an affiliate of the crypto-aligned political action committee (PAC) Fairshake, is backing at least one candidate in Tuesday's Massachusetts primary. Fairshake poured more than $130 million into ads and media during the 2024 election cycle, making it one of the largest-spending PACs of that cycle and establishing a playbook of intervening in races even where neither candidate opposes crypto policy goals.

Federal Election Commission (FEC) records as of Tuesday show that Protect Progress spent just over $189,000 on media supporting Representative Jake Auchincloss, who is running for reelection in Massachusetts' 4th congressional district. According to Democratic candidate Jason Poulos, some of those funds went toward creating "AI-generated slop mailers" backing Auchincloss ahead of the primary, scheduled for Tuesday (FEC filing). The use of AI-generated campaign mail has drawn scrutiny in recent US elections as campaigns and outside groups increasingly experiment with the technology.

In an Aug. 16 letter, Poulos urged the Democratic lawmaker to "publicly renounce" Protect Progress' efforts to potentially influence both the primary and the general election (letter). Poulos claimed Auchincloss has accepted $77,500 directly from "crypto-industry sources" since 2020, citing the lawmaker's July 2025 vote for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act — a market structure bill that has not been signed into law as it awaits consideration in the Senate. Poulos also shared the mailer on X (post).

The $189,000 expenditure marks Fairshake's latest effort to sway the 2026 elections through media and advertising unrelated to candidates' positions on crypto and blockchain. In August, the PAC and its affiliates spent roughly $3.6 million on House and Senate races in Alaska, Florida and Wyoming; Fairshake subsequently reported $122 million cash on hand heading into the 2026 midterms, following a string of victories in primary races (Cointelegraph). That war chest signals that crypto industry money will remain a significant force in the midterms, with further interventions in down-ballot races likely to draw attention as November approaches.

"With dozens of wins in House and Senate races across the country, and $122 million ready for the fall, we're not slowing down heading into November," Fairshake spokesperson Geoff Vetter said in August.

Massachusetts will be among the last US states to hold primaries, with just over two months remaining until the general election. New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware are all scheduled to hold their primaries in September.