From Cointelegraph · By Felix Ng
Within the next few hours, we will begin to learn whether President Donald Trump’s Republican Party has managed to retain control of the US Congress, determining his ability to advance his legislative agenda during the final two years of his term.
Americans headed to the polls Tuesday for the 2026 midterm elections, with all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats up for grabs.
Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress, holding 53 Senate seats to 45 Democrats and two independents who caucus with them, along with a narrow advantage in the House. Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats and three House seats to take control of the respective chambers.
The results could influence the future of US cryptocurrency regulation, including the stalled CLARITY Act, and potentially intensify scrutiny of Trump’s crypto ventures if Democrats gain control of either chamber. Last week, Reuters reported that Democratic lawmakers were preparing another round of investigations into potential conflicts of interest involving his family’s businesses.
Live election updates
Follow the latest developments in congressional races attracting crypto industry spending, election results and reactions from prediction markets. Updates appear in reverse chronological order.
Cointelegraph is using live election results data from the Associated Press.
Crypto super PACs spend millions to influence Congress
Crypto industry groups have spent approximately $176 million across more than 100 races during the 2026 election cycle, according to Reuters.
Fairshake, backed by Coinbase, Ripple and Andreessen Horowitz, has led the spending through its affiliated super PACs, Defend American Jobs and Protect Progress. In early October, the group announced support for 32 incumbent House candidates, including 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats, all of whom voted in favor of the CLARITY Act in 2025.
Other crypto-aligned groups include the Digital Freedom Fund, backed by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, the twin co-founders of crypto exchange Gemini, and Fellowship PAC, which has supported candidates from both parties.
Key crypto races to watch
The Blockchain Association’s election dashboard identifies 62 priority congressional races, including 18 Senate and 44 House contests, based on competitiveness, candidates’ crypto positions and membership on committees overseeing digital asset legislation.
Ohio Senate: Jon Husted vs Sherrod Brown
In Ohio, Republican Sen. Jon Husted faces Democrat Sherrod Brown, a longtime crypto critic, in a race that has attracted approximately $63 million in crypto industry spending. That includes about $56 million from Fairshake and $7 million from the Winklevoss-backed Digital Freedom Fund, with both groups spending to support Husted or oppose Brown.