Pro-crypto PAC bashed by progressives backs Ruben Gallego's Senate race

A pro-crypto PAC will spend $3 million on ads backing U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego's Senate campaign.

Why it matters: Protect Progress and its affiliated PACs are some of the biggest outside spenders in this election cycle, spurring some controversy locally.

Flashback: Protect Progress spent $1.4 million supporting CD3 candidate Yassamin Ansari in the last few weeks of the Democratic primary.

• Ansari beat her opponent Raquel Terán by 42 votes. The race is undergoing an automatic recount .

The intrigue: Terán and her supporters bashed Ansari for her connection to the pro-crypto group because some of its funders are tech billionaires who are also supporting former President Trump.

• But those concerns appear to have dwindled now that Gallego is benefitting.
• Terán's campaign manager did not respond to questions about whether she's concerned about the PAC supporting Gallego.

What they're saying: "Our mission is clear — support candidates who embrace innovation, want to protect American jobs, and are committed to working across the aisle to get things done and oppose those who do not," said Fairshake, the umbrella organization over Protect Progress and affiliated PACs.

• Gallego's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Context: Super PACs like Protect Progress are separate from candidate committees and forbidden by federal law from coordinating with candidates.

Zoom out: This week, Fairshake's affiliated PACs also backed Senate candidates Bernie Moreno, a Republican from Ohio, and Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan.

• Earlier this month, the group announced 18 endorsements in House races, nine for Republicans and nine for Democrats.