Millions Spent by Solana Policy Institute-Backed PAC to Block Sherrod Brown's Senate Bid

A major U.S. political action committee, the Sentinel Action Fund, which is backed by the Solana Policy Institute, has pledged a substantial advertising budget to support the opponent of former Senator Sherrod Brown, a prominent cryptocurrency critic who is attempting to regain his seat in the Ohio Senate election this year. According to a statement released on Wednesday, Sentinel and its affiliated nonprofit, Right Vote, have committed $8 million to support Jon Husted, the Republican candidate, accusing Brown of hindering pro-innovation policies related to digital assets during his previous tenure as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. The super PAC receives funding from the Solana Institute, crypto venture firm Multicoin Capital, and several prominent financial figures, including Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman and billionaire Paul Singer. The leading donor to the PAC is a nonprofit organization called Townsend Six Corp., which was established in late 2024 with an $8 million contribution from an unidentified donor. The Ohio election is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate battles, which will determine the majority of the chamber next year. Recent polls have shown the race to be neck and neck, despite Husted initially having a strong lead over Brown. The Sentinel Action Fund joins other crypto industry-backed PACs, such as Fairshake and Fellowship PAC, in supporting candidates who are favorable to digital assets. The Solana Policy Institute has donated $750,000 to the Sentinel Action Fund, and has split its campaign spending between Republican and Democratic PACs with opposing goals. The outcome of the election could potentially impact the course of crypto legislation, although the industry has garnered significant bipartisan support in Congress.