Poll reveals American skepticism toward crypto and AI amid massive super PAC spending in midterms
Recent Politico polling data shows widespread American distrust of cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence, sparking concerns that candidates receiving support from tech industry super PACs may experience electoral consequences.
Industry groups representing cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence sectors are injecting massive sums into the 2026 midterm election cycle, yet fresh polling data reveals widespread public distrust toward both technologies.
According to an April survey conducted by Public First on behalf of Politico, 45% of Americans believe cryptocurrency investment carries unacceptable risks, while 44% express concern that artificial intelligence is advancing at an excessive pace. The polling data additionally revealed that nearly half of respondents place greater trust in traditional banking institutions compared to cryptocurrency platforms, with two-thirds supporting either strict regulatory frameworks or comprehensive oversight principles for AI technologies from Congress.
These findings present significant challenges for political candidates accepting financial backing from industry-affiliated super PACs. When presented with hypothetical electoral contests, survey participants demonstrated substantially lower support for candidates endorsed by organizations advocating for relaxed AI regulations compared to those supported by groups demanding stronger technology governance.
Skepticism of the industries, those results suggest, could turn into voter backlash if Americans grow fed up with the heavy spending.
Public First conducted the polling between April 11 and 14, gathering responses from 2,035 American adults through online surveys. The data underwent weighting adjustments accounting for age, race, gender, geography and educational attainment, yielding an overall sampling error margin of ±2.2 percentage points.
AI, crypto PACs spend big
Leading the Future, a pro-artificial intelligence super PAC established in August 2025, has accumulated over $75 million in funding and distributed resources across primary elections in North Carolina, Texas, Illinois and New York. Meanwhile, Fairshake, the cryptocurrency-focused PAC receiving backing from Coinbase, Andreessen Horowitz and Ripple Labs, has already expended $28 million throughout competitive primary races.
Lobbying efforts represent another major expenditure category for both sectors. OpenAI and Anthropic reported unprecedented lobbying spending levels during the first quarter of 2026. Simultaneously, the cryptocurrency sector continues advancing the CLARITY Act through Senate procedures, a market structure proposal designed to establish regulatory clarity for digital asset markets.
During the 2024 election cycle, a Fairshake-affiliated PAC invested more than $40 million in efforts that contributed to the defeat of Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, a persistent cryptocurrency skeptic who has announced another candidacy.
Crypto, AI PACs are flying under the radar
Current data indicates limited voter awareness of these political organizations. Only 9% of respondents reported familiarity with Leading the Future, while a mere 3% could identify Fairshake. Nevertheless, political analysts speaking with Politico warned that voter sentiment could shift dramatically once the connection between campaign funding and the supporting industries becomes more widely recognized.
I do think if they see somebody is backed by crypto, that's always going to be a problem.
Former Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci