Fairshake faces $2M setback in Florida primaries as crypto PAC’s candidate loses

Fairshake, the crypto industry’s biggest political spending vehicle, poured approximately $2 million into opposing Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert during the Democratic primary for Florida’s 24th Congressional District. Gilbert won anyway, capturing around 34.5% to 35% of the vote in a seven-candidate field on August 18. What happened in FL-24 The seat opened up after Rep. Frederica Wilson’s retirement, creating a contested Democratic primary in a heavily blue district. Fairshake and its affiliate Protect Progress directed their roughly $2 million toward advertising and mailings aimed at sinking Gilbert’s candidacy. It didn’t land. Gilbert outpaced the rest of the field, including State Sen. Shevrin Jones, who conceded after finishing with a smaller share of the vote. In a low-turnout primary with seven candidates, Gilbert’s mid-30s percentage was more than enough to secure the nomination. Fairshake’s bigger picture Fairshake has become the crypto industry’s primary vehicle for translating corporate dollars into political influence. Funded mainly by major firms like Coinbase and Ripple, the super PAC reported a war chest exceeding $193 million early in the 2026 electi...