Crypto and artificial intelligence industry groups are pumping tens of millions of dollars into the 2026 midterm elections, but a new poll shows most Americans don’t trust either industry.
45% of Americans say investing in cryptocurrencies is not worth the risk, and 44% say AI is developing too fast, according to to an April poll by Public First for Politico. The survey also found that nearly half trust a traditional bank over a crypto platform, and two-thirds want Congress to impose strict regulations or broad AI oversight principles.
The numbers spell trouble for candidates who take money from industry-linked super PACs. In hypothetical matches, survey respondents were far less likely to support candidates backed by groups pushing for looser AI regulations than those backed by groups calling for stricter tech rules.
“Industrial skepticism, these results suggest, could turn into a voter backlash if Americans tire of big spending,” the report said.
The poll was conducted between April 11 and 14, surveying 2,035 American adults online. Results are weighted by age, race, sex, geography, and educational attainment, with an overall margin of sampling error of ±2.2 percentage points.
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AI, crypto PACs spend a lot
The pro-AI super PAC Leading the Future, which launched in August 2025, has raised more than $75 million and deployed funds in primaries across North Carolina, Texas, Illinois and New York. Fairshake, a pro-crypto PAC backed by Coinbase, Andreessen Horowitz and Ripple Labs, has already spent $28 million in competitive primaries.
Source: Politico
Both industries also spend heavily on lobbyists. OpenAI and Anthropic announced record lobbying spending in the first quarter of 2026. The crypto industry, meanwhile, is pushing through the Senate the CLARITY Act, a market structure bill it hopes will bring regulatory certainty to digital assets.
In 2024, a Fairshake-affiliated PAC spent more than $40 million helping defeat Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, a longtime crypto critic who is now running again.
Related: Crypto PAC Fellowship Halts Support of Texas AG for Senate: Report
Crypto, AI PACs fly under the radar
Most of the voters do not know that these groups exist. Only 9% have heard of Leading the Future and only 3% recognize Fairshake. However, political observers told Politico that the backlash could be swift once voters associate the money with the industries behind it.
“I think it’s always going to be an issue if they see somebody have cryptocurrency backing,” former Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci reportedly said.
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