- The Democratic arm of the cryptocurrency industry plans to launch a “Crypto for Harris” campaign to counter Donald Trump’s appeal in the industry as the race for the White House narrows between Trump and Kamala Harris.
- The “Crypto for Harris” group will host a virtual town hall meeting next week with speakers like Mark Cuban, Anthony Scaramucci, and Democratic members of Congress to discuss supporting Harris’ campaign and fundraising initiatives.
- While Trump has embraced crypto and made promises to the industry, Harris has added former crypto advisers to her campaign, signaling a potential fresh start for the industry under a potential Harris administration.
The Democratic arm of the cryptocurrency industry is launching a new initiative called “Crypto for Harris” to support Vice President Kamala Harris‘s presidential campaign. This comes as Harris faces an uphill battle against former President Donald Trump for crypto industry support.
New Pro-Harris Group Hosting Virtual Event
The new advocacy group plans to host a virtual town hall next week featuring high-profile crypto supporters like Mark Cuban. Top Democratic lawmakers have also been invited to participate. The goal is to promote fundraising efforts and find ways to boost Harris’ appeal in the crypto community.
Trump’s Head Start in Attracting Crypto Leaders
Trump has already attracted significant support from crypto leaders, largely due to the regulatory crackdown under the Biden administration. Now that Biden has dropped out and Harris is the nominee, Democrats are trying to counter Trump’s advantage in the industry.
Efforts to Sway Crypto Owners
Democratic lawmakers and crypto advocates plan to convince some of the 40 million Americans who own cryptocurrency that Trump and Republicans don’t have a monopoly on the issue. They want to portray crypto policy as nonpartisan and warn against it becoming a political football.
Crypto Advisers Joining Harris Campaign
In recent weeks, Harris has brought on two former crypto advisers – David Plouffe and Gene Sperling. This signals an effort to bolster her credentials in the crypto community after three years of Biden’s heavy-handed regulation.
Industry Views on Harris’ Crypto Credentials
Some industry leaders believe Harris still has an opportunity to chart a new course on crypto policy. But others think she shares blame for the Biden administration’s hostile stance and doubt her commitment to the industry.
Virtual Meeting to Court Crypto Leaders
In addition to the Crypto for Harris event, Rep. Ro Khanna is hosting a private virtual meeting this week between Harris’ team and crypto executives. This demonstrates the multifaceted approach Democrats are taking to warming relations with the industry.
Conclusion
With the election approaching, Democrats are ramping up outreach to crypto supporters. Despite Trump’s head start, they aim to dispel the notion that he has exclusive support from the community. It remains to be seen if these efforts will be enough to close the advantage Trump has built. But the new engagement shows Democrats want to compete for the crypto vote.