Defend Developers PAC targets crypto policy influence in U.S. midterm races

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Defend Developers PAC crypto push

Highlights

Defend Developers PAC, registered last month, aims to raise over six figures to support pro-DeFi incumbents in dozens of midterm races.
Unlike super PACs such as Fairshake, Defend Developers operates as a hybrid PAC allowing direct candidate contributions and unlimited corporate-funded independent ads, but has yet to disclose funding totals.
Fairshake-backed candidates win additional primaries this week, with no individual spending above $476,000 and a recent $6.5 million victory push in Texas, escalating crypto policy stakes ahead of November's general election.

Funding strategy and political focus

As reported by CoinDesk, the Defend Developers PAC is positioning itself differently from larger crypto campaign vehicles by focusing on incumbent lawmakers who have already shown support for shielding developers and DeFi project creators from legal risks.

Founder Gavin Zavatone says the committee plans to raise and contribute more than six figures across dozens of key midterm contests. Zavatone also serves as policy lead at the DeFi Education Fund, a trade association that advocates DeFi-friendly policymaking.

Federally registered last month, Defend Developers operates as a hybrid PAC, allowing it to make direct candidate contributions within Federal Election Commission limits while also accepting unlimited corporate money for independent advertising. Zavatone says the group is building political infrastructure to keep the United States a leading place for blockchain development, backed by individual contributions from founders, builders and chief executives with direct exposure to the sector.

The PAC's board includes members from Uniswap Labs, the DeFi Education Fund and the Solana Policy Institute, though no initial funding totals have yet been disclosed.

Competitive landscape and election stakes

Defend Developers enters a crowded crypto political funding arena that still remains heavily shaped by Fairshake, the sector's best-funded super PAC. The new committee is not expected to match Fairshake's spending power or the scale of mid-sized groups such as the Fellowship PAC, linked to Tether, and the Digital Freedom Fund, tied to Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss at Gemini.

Fairshake is posting more primary victories this week after backing nine Democratic U.S. House candidates in California, one in New Jersey and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rounds in South Dakota, all of whom win their primaries on Tuesday. Its spending in those races does not exceed $476,000 for any single candidate, including U.S. Representative George Whitsides.

That follows a much larger $6.5 million effort in Texas last week, where Fairshake supports Christian Menefee in a successful primary challenge that blocks veteran House lawmaker and crypto critic Al Green. Even so, the super PAC has also recorded some setbacks, including in Illinois.

The November general election carries high stakes for the industry because control of at least one chamber of Congress could shift to Democrats, shaping the policy environment for crypto developers and companies.

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