Illinois Primary: Crypto Industry Super PAC Fairshake Invests Over $13 Million in Multiple Election Races

Gate News reports that the Illinois primary election on March 18th began releasing results on the evening of March 17th local time. The super political action committee Fairshake in the crypto industry invested over $13 million in the state election, nearly $10 million of which was used to oppose Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton’s bid for the Senate, with over $3 million spent on two campaigns supporting candidates who favor cryptocurrency consumer protection laws. The AI industry invested approximately $2.5 million in two House races.

In District 7, despite pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC spending nearly $5 million and Fairshake investing close to $2.5 million, State Representative La Shawn Ford, who supports consumer protection laws, defeated his opponent to secure the nomination. In District 2, Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, supported by AIPAC, defeated former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., who was backed by an AI industry PAC. In District 8, former Congresswoman Melissa Bean, supported by AIPAC and PACs from the crypto and AI industries, defeated progressive candidate Junaid Ahmed.

The Illinois primary involved five House seats and one Senate seat, with external groups investing over $50 million in total, of which more than $35 million was spent by groups related to AIPAC, the crypto industry, and the AI industry.