Crypto-Backed PAC Spends Over $2 Million Supporting Incumbent in Michigan's 13th District Primary

Jul 20, 2026

Outside political groups are flooding Michigan's August 4, 2026, Democratic congressional primaries with millions of dollars. In the 13th District, the crypto-backed Protect Progress PAC spent over $2 million supporting incumbent Representative Shri Thanedar and opposing challenger Donavan McKinney. Meanwhile, the 7th District saw a $6.4 million spending surge from groups like VoteVets and Michigan Sunrise PAC, while a pro-AI group's $300,000 injection for Jeremy Moss sparked a clash in the 11th District.

Outside spending in primaries

▪Outside political groups have poured millions of dollars into Michigan's four competitive Democratic U.S. House primaries ahead of the August 4, 2026, election.
▪Marty Jordan, an associate professor of political science at Michigan State University, stated that outside money is playing an outsized role in Michigan's congressional and Senate primary races.

7th District funding surge

▪Outside groups spent $6.4 million in Michigan's Lansing-based 7th Congressional District primary between July 1, 2026, and July 20, 2026.
▪VoteVets spent over $1.6 million in the month leading up to July 20, 2026, and more than $2 million overall to support Matt Maasdam's campaign in the 7th Congressional District.
▪Michigan Sunrise PAC spent approximately $500,000 to support Will Lawrence and $1.2 million to oppose Matt Maasdam in the 7th Congressional District primary.

Crypto PAC backs Thanedar

▪Donavan McKinney criticized the PAC spending, alleging that the crypto lobby is rewarding Representative Shri Thanedar for policy decisions that benefited Donald Trump's digital asset interests.
▪Protect Progress PAC spent over $2 million on media to support Representative Shri Thanedar and oppose challenger Donavan McKinney in Michigan's 13th Congressional District Democratic primary.
▪Protect Progress PAC is funded largely by contributions from Ripple Labs and Coinbase, and operates as an affiliate of the Fairshake PAC network.
▪Representative Shri Thanedar voted in favor of the GENIUS Act and the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, and cosponsored the Promoting Innovation in Blockchain Development Act.

Pro-women funding for Hines

▪Pro-Choice Majority Action, an offshoot of Elect Democratic Women, spent $500,000 in July 2026 to support Christina Hines in Michigan's 10th Congressional District primary.
▪Equality PAC spent approximately $150,000 since July 1, 2026, to support Eric Chung in the 10th Congressional District Democratic primary.

AI industry supports Moss

▪Think Big, a pro-artificial intelligence group linked to the founders of OpenAI and Palantir Technologies, spent about $300,000 to support state Senator Jeremy Moss in Michigan's 11th Congressional District.
▪Don Ufford condemned the spending by Think Big, stating he would not accept checks from entities working to eliminate middle-class jobs.