Crypto-Backed Candidates Patronis and Fine Win Key Florida Seats

Republican candidates Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine secured victories in Florida's special congressional elections Tuesday night, extending the GOP's narrow House majority with significant backing from crypto industry super PACs.

Fine captured 56.7% of the vote in Florida's 6th District against Democrat Josh Weil, while Patronis won Florida's 1st District with 57% against Gay Valimont.

Both campaigns received substantial support from Defend American Jobs, a Republican-focused crypto PAC operating within the broader Fairshake political funding network.

Those wins represent yet another victory for crypto industry interests.

Patronis and Fine "have shown a deep commitment to advancing pro-growth policies and ensuring the U.S. leads the world in crypto and digital asset innovation," Defend American Jobs said in an emailed statement to Decrypt after the results. 

"Their election is a win for jobs, innovation, and American leadership."

While Fine's 14-point win margin shows a significant contraction from President Trump's 30-point advantage in the same district last November, it's worth mentioning that Weil had a $10 million war chest compared to Fine's roughly $1 million.

In January, Fairshake raised over $116 million, which has been directed toward spending for the 2026 midterms, Decrypt reported.

Fairshake is affiliated with Defend American Jobs and Protect Congress. By the time the 2024 elections began, the network had invested some $133 million toward its cause.

Those efforts have helped secure GOP seats across the board in recent months and are intended to win favorable regulatory support in the years ahead.

With crypto legislation on stablecoins and market structure pending in Congress, the two new electoral wins could help solidify the slim Republican majority needed to advance pro-crypto bills.

Leading firms and leaders in the space—including exchange operator Coinbase, blockchain payments company Ripple, tech investor Andreessen Horowitz, and Gemini co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss—have all donated to Fairshake’s efforts.

Edited by Sebastian Sinclair