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Protect Progress, a super PAC affiliated with crypto-aligned Fairshake, has announced it will spend $1.5 million to unseat Rep. Al Green in the Texas Democratic primary, targeting one of the House Financial Services Committee’s most vocal crypto skeptics as the industry’s political war chest sits at approximately $193 million.
The move marks a significant expansion of Crypto lobbying influence in congressional races.
Green, who has represented Texas since 2005, has voted against several major crypto-related bills and has expressed skepticism about the industry’s broader economic impact.
The targeted spending highlights how Crypto lobbying organizations are deploying substantial financial resources to shape regulatory outcomes by influencing key congressional seats.
Protect Progress said its opposition campaign is tied to Green’s voting record on digital asset legislation. The group cited his opposition to measures including the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, and the GENIUS stablecoin bill passed earlier this year.
It also pointed to his support for maintaining the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Staff Accounting Bulletin 121, which imposed restrictions on how banks custody digital assets.
“As a member of the Financial Services Committee, Representative Al Green has decided to try and stop American innovation in its tracks,” – said Josh Vlasto, spokesperson for Fairshake, in a statement.
The Financial Services Committee plays a central role in shaping federal financial regulation, making it a focal point for Crypto lobbying campaigns seeking legislative clarity and industry-friendly rules.
By targeting a senior member of the committee, Crypto lobbying groups are signaling that regulatory votes will carry electoral consequences.
Green has consistently raised concerns about cryptocurrency’s economic and systemic implications.
During a House hearing last year, he rejected claims that regulators had orchestrated a coordinated effort to pressure banks away from crypto firms, dismissing the phrase “Operation Choke Point 2.0” as a “made-up statement.”
In prior public remarks, Green has also questioned the sector’s potential impact on the U.S. dollar’s global role and warned about risks tied to volatility and consumer protection.
His position places him at odds with the growing influence of Crypto lobbying organizations advocating for clearer and more permissive regulatory frameworks.
Green is now running in a reshaped Houston-area district following Texas redistricting. He faces Democratic challenger Christian Menefee, who has reportedly received favorable assessments from crypto advocacy groups.
The primary contest has become a test case for how effectively Crypto lobbying funds can influence intraparty races.
Fairshake and its affiliated committees reported holding approximately $193 million in cash earlier this year, according to federal filings.
Major industry players, including Coinbase, Ripple, and Andreessen Horowitz, have contributed to crypto-aligned political action efforts in recent cycles.
The scale of available funding underscores the growing sophistication of Crypto lobbying operations.
Rather than focusing solely on federal regulatory agencies, industry-backed groups are increasingly targeting electoral politics to shape the composition of Congress itself.
Super PACs such as Protect Progress can raise and spend unlimited sums to advocate for or against candidates, provided they do not coordinate directly with campaigns.
That structure has enabled Crypto lobbying groups to rapidly mobilize financial resources in competitive races.
The decision to oppose Green reflects a broader strategy by Crypto lobbying advocates to back candidates viewed as supportive of digital asset innovation while challenging lawmakers perceived as hostile.
As digital asset regulation remains under debate in Congress, committee membership and leadership positions are especially consequential.
For policy makers and crypto investors, the Texas primary serves as an early indicator of how Crypto lobbying will shape the 2026 election cycle.
The industry’s willingness to commit millions of dollars to a single House primary suggests that regulatory battles will increasingly intersect with electoral politics.
Whether the strategy succeeds will depend on voter response in Green’s district and on broader political dynamics.
However, the scale and visibility of this effort demonstrate that Crypto lobbying has become a durable force in Washington policymaking.
As legislative debates over stablecoins, market structure and custody rules continue, the influence of Crypto lobbying is likely to remain a defining feature of the political landscape surrounding digital assets.
