Jake Auchincloss wins Massachusetts primary amid crypto-backed PAC spending

Representative Jake Auchincloss won the Democratic primary for Massachusetts’ Fourth Congressional District, defeating challenger Jason Poulos with approximately 72.3% of the vote. The election was marked by significant spending from Protect Progress, a super PAC affiliate of the crypto-backed group Fairshake, which spent over $189,000 on media to support Auchincloss.

During the campaign, Poulos criticized the intervention, alleging that the spending funded “AI-generated slop mailers.” Poulos also pointed to Auchincloss’s legislative record, noting his support for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, and called for the lawmaker to renounce the influence of crypto-industry sources.

Fairshake reported having $122 million in cash on hand heading into the 2026 midterm elections, signaling continued involvement from the cryptocurrency industry in U.S. political campaigning.