Arkansas
Pro-crypto super PACs pouring tens of millions into 2024 elections • Arkansas Advocate
Former president Donald Trump’s selection of Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), as his running mate is expected to turbocharge the cryptocurrency industry’s spending in the 2024 election cycle.
Vance, who owns up to $250,000 in Bitcoin, is a recent champion of the digital asset industry. During his time in the Senate, Vance has drafted legislation that would rework how the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulate the crypto community — much to the liking of crypto investors.
Crypto-backed super PACs are already pouring tens of millions of dollars into congressional races.
One pro-crypto super PAC launched in December 2023, Fairshake, has already spent $14.4 million to independently bolster the campaigns of crypto-friendly congressional candidates in the 2024 election cycle. The bulk of that spending has gone to attacking Democratic candidates in primaries but Fairshake has also spent to support candidates on both sides of the aisle.
Fairshake ended June with nearly $120 million cash on hand, an OpenSecrets analysis of new campaign finance reports filed July 20 found.
On its website, Fairshake pledges to “support candidates committed to securing the United States as the home to innovators building the next generation of the internet.”
“Providing blockchain innovators the ability to develop their networks under a clearer regulatory and legal framework is vital if the broader open blockchain economy is to grow to its full potential here in the United States.”
Since corporations themselves cannot donate directly to political candidates or party committees and individual donors are subject to strict contribution limits, cryptocurrency companies and their executives are taking advantage of making unlimited contributions to super PACs — which are allowed to raise unlimited sums of money to support and oppose candidates thanks to the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. FEC.
Fairshake has received over $46.5 million in donations from Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchange platforms in the U.S. A blockchain-based digital payment network called Ripple has also deepened Fairshake’s pockets with contributions totalling $45 million.
Executives at a Silicon Valley venture capital firm called Andreessen Horowitz have given over $44 million to Fairshake since its inception. After Trump’s selection of Vance as his running mate, those executives — Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz — told employees that they plan to make large contributions to pro-Trump super PACs in the 2024 election cycle.
Trump — once a staunch critic of cryptocurrency — released his presidential platform saying, “Republicans will end Democrats’ unlawful and un-American crypto crackdown and oppose the creation of a Central Bank Digital Currency.”
In contrast, President Joe Biden’s administration has taken what some industry players have described as a “hardline” stance on cryptocurrency with the White House pushing for more regulation and appointing Gary Gensler, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker, to chair the SEC.
“We don’t need more digital currency,” Gensler stated in 2023. “We already have digital currency, it’s called the U.S. dollar.”
In the hours following Biden’s announcement ending his campaign, the price of Bitcoin briefly topped
$68,000, the highest increase for the cryptocurrency since June. The crypto community is increasingly curious to see whether Vice President Kamala Harris, who took over Biden’s campaign after his withdrawal from the race, will prolong Biden’s tight clamp on companies like Coinbase and Ripple or forge a new stance altogether.
Fairshake is affiliated with two super PACs. Defend American Jobs has spent $17.1 million to support pro-crypto Republican candidates in the 2024 elections while Protect Progress has spent $13.5 million supporting Democrats in the 2024 cycle. Together, the three pro-crypto super PACs have over $127.2 million on hand.
Like Fairshake, both of its affiliated super PACs are supported by Andreessen Horowitz, Coinbase, Ripple, and Multicoin Capital.
Since its inception, over $12 million of Fairshake’s spending has gone to oppose two Democratic candidates, Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) — both of whom lost their primaries. Fairshake launched attack ads on Porter, who has a history of allying with anti-crypto figures, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Porter’s campaign called the claims in Fairshake’s attack ads “false.”
“We are making sure the 8 million crypto owners in California – who are disproportionately young voters who support Democrats – know about her hostility toward the technology and how that would hurt American jobs,” said Josh Vlasto, a spokesman for Fairshake, told CoinDesk, a cryptocurrency-focused news site.
Fairshake has supported pro-crypto congressional candidates across the political spectrum and has not yet commented on whether it will be supporting any presidential candidates.
As of July 24, the super PAC has spent over $702,000 to support Democrats including Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) and Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.). On the other side of the aisle, Fairshake has spent $551,600 to support Republicans including Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.) and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.).
Emmer and Nickel are cosponsors on multiple pieces of crypto-centered legislation that have circulated in the 117th and 118th Congress, including the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act, and the Digital Commodity Exchange Act — both of which seek to establish a regulatory framework for digital assets.
In a statement about the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act, Gensler wrote, “The crypto industry’s record of failures, frauds, and bankruptcies is not because we don’t have rules or because the rules are unclear. It’s because many players in the crypto industry don’t play by the rules.” He continued, “We should make the policy choice to protect the investing public over facilitating business models of noncompliant firms.”
On July 27, Trump made an appearance at a Bitcoin conference in Nashville, Tenn., where digital asset leaders gathered to discuss the future of cryptocurrency. Attendees had the option of paying $844,600 for an exclusive event after Trump’s keynote — the ticket price being the maximum amount an individual can legally contribute to Trump’s campaign in 2024.
At the event, Trumplaid out his “plan to ensure that the United States will be the crypto capital of the planet and the Bitcoin superpower of the world.”
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many Arkansans are asking the question: How much will my Thanksgiving dinner cost?
According to new data from the Arkansas Farm Bureau, your Thanksgiving meal may cost less than it did in 2024.
The Farm Bureau released its findings from its annual Thanksgiving Dinner Survey, and it found that meal prices across the board are lower than it has been since before the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“It’s about a 20% drop from last year. I think we said it was around $71 last year and $56 this year,” Director of Commodity Economics with the Arkansas Farm Bureau, Tyler Oxner, said.
According to the survey, the total average cost of a Thanksgiving meal for a family of 10 in 2025 is $56.77, which is $5.68 a person. In 2024, the total cost was $71.29, which is $7.13 a person. The pricing decrease is also evident across various items.
“The protein is what we’re seeing the biggest decrease in. We got a 7% decrease in turkeys year over year. About a third of the price of last year’s ham,” states Oxner.
A 16-pound turkey cost $15.13, or $0.94 per pound. In 2025, that same turkey may cost $14.10 and .88 a pound.
The survey also reports that a 4-pound ham cost Arkansans $21 last year. Now it’s costing $14.07, a 34% decrease.
Several classic Thanksgiving sides have also seen a decline in average cost:
- -3-pound bag of Sweet Potatoes from $3.03 to $2.40 (21% decrease)
- -5-pound bag of Russet Potatoes from $2.97 to $2.47 (17% decrease)
- -12-ounce package of Fresh Cranberries from $1.83 to $1.43 (22% decrease)
- -16-ounce package of Frozen Green Peas from $1.44 to $1.02 (29% decrease)
- -16-ounce package of Frozen Green Beans from $1.77 to $1.57 (11% decrease)
- -9-inch Frozen Pie Shells from $3.29 to $1.94 (41% decrease)
- -14-ounce package of Cube Stuffing, Herb Seasoning from $3.99 to $2.61 (35% decrease)
- -12-count package of Dinner Rolls from $4.20 to $1.68 (60% decrease)
- -30-ounce can of Pumpkin Pie Mix from $4.20 to $3.98 (5% decrease)
- -1 gallon of Whole Milk from $4.23 to $3.64 (14% decrease)
Some products did not see the same declines. The price of 1 pound of fresh carrots increased by 12%, jumping from $1.04 to $1.16. The price of 1 bunch of fresh celery jumped up by 66%, from $1.05 to $1.74. A 1/2-pint carton of whipping cream also soared by 54%, increasing from $1.92 to $2.96.
Of course, this all depends on where you shop.
“You’re going to see, depending on what grocery store you go to, what promotional deals they have going on at those stores,” says Oxner.
“Arkansas is normally cheaper, and the South in general is normally cheaper than the rest of the United States,” he adds.
These prices not only depend on what retailer you shop at, but what county you shop in.
The survey reports that prices on Thanksgiving meals range from $50.89 in Boone County to $68.36 in Garland County. All of the other counties that the Farm Bureau surveyed came in under $60:
- -Hempstead County: $51.27
- -Faulkner County: $53.58
- -Craighead County: $55.89
- -Sevier County: $56.34
- -Sharp County: $57.48
- -Carroll County: $58.46
- -Lonoke County: $58.54
Oxner credits these pricing trends to one group.
“Arkansas families may see lower prices for their traditional Thanksgiving meal, and they just need to know that this is the work of those Arkansas farmers out there that are working tirelessly to provide sustainable food.”
Oxner says that these prices have the potential to continue to decline in the coming years, but that all depends on various factors, such as changing transportation and production costs, as well as if the Avian Influenza becomes a problem again in Arkansas like it was in 2024.
The Texas Longhorns desperately needed a much better performance this week than they put together a week ago in their loss against Georgia. And the Longhorns got exactly what they needed after a dominant blowout 52-37 victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks, which was the first time Texas scored 50 points in a game since 2019.
Texas won’t have the chance to linger and wait around when it comes to its opponent next weekend, with a battle against bitter rival the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies. The Lone Star Showdown returns to Austin for the first time since the rivalries’ renewal, with the undefeated Aggies looking to punch their ticket to the SEC championship game and the Longhorns trying to salvage any chance at the postseason.
Taking a closer look at the Longhorns after their comfortable win against the Razorbacks, here are this week’s position group grades.
Anytime you can be the first player ever to do something in Texas program history, you know it was a good day, as Arch Manning had a career day against the Razorbacks.
Manning finished the game 18 of 30 passing for a career high 389 yards, four touchdowns, an impressive 91.7 quarterback rating, a rushing touchdown, and a receiving touchdown, becoming the first player in Longhorns history to ever pass, run, and catch a touchdown in a single game.
Manning looked comfortable in the pocket and confident under duress finding deep shots throughout the day, the quarterback is finally playing the way people expected and at the perfect time.
It’s been a constant struggle to find any sort of rhythm and reliable running game that the Longhorns could depend on.
While the Longhorns did get a push on a few carries with leading running back Quintrevion Wisner finishing the game with 67 yards on 15 carries, the Razorbacks running defense had been one of the worst in the SEC, and the Longhorns were not able to take advantage of that fact.
After last week’s drop fest in Athens, the Longhorns’ pass catchers shone against the Arkansas secondary, with all of their main receivers having big days. Wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. had his best game as a Longhorn with his three catches for 74 yards, all of which were for touchdowns. Wide receiver Parker Livingstone was a deep threat, averaging 52 yards per reception with two receptions for 104 yards and a passing touchdown on the trick play.
Receivers Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley also made themselves present, both totaling 81 receiving yards, with Wingo having six receptions and Mosley recording four. Even tight end Jack Endries got involved with two receptions for 49 yards.
The Longhorns’ offensive line has been finding a rhythm throughout the back half of the season, even while giving up three sacks last week in Athens. The protection held up, and on Saturday against the Razorbacks, the unit did more than enough to help out the offense.
For just the third time this season, the Longhorns’ offensive line kept Manning clean by not allowing a single sack throughout the matchup, and in terms of run blocking, the unit cleaned up better than it has, allowing just two tackles-for-loss.
Saturday was not the best performance out of the Longhorns’ defense, giving up a total of 512 yards of offense to the Razorbacks, 324 of the yards through the air and 188 on the ground.
While the Texas defense was able to slow down the Razorbacks’ offense in the second half before running up the score and the Longhorns brought in the backups, the first half was rough. The game started with a long 40-yard rip by the Arkansas running back on the first play from scrimmage. The Texas defense allowed 105 rushing yards just in the first quarter, the first time that happened all season. The first half ended with Arkansas totaling 253 yards of total offense, 157 of those on the ground.
However, there were bright spots; the Longhorns were able to continue creating turnovers, with an interception by Jelani McDonald that was cashed into points by the offense, and then a sack-fumble from Colin Simmons turned into a fumble return for a touchdown by Liona Lefau.
After what was a disastrous showing of special teams play a week ago, it was back to normal for the Longhorns’ special teams unit.
Kicker Mason Shipley was perfect, converting all of his kicks: one 44-yard field goal and then all seven of his extra points. Punter Jack Bouwmeester continued being a weapon with his three punts netting 109 yards and two of which were downed inside the opposing team’s 20-yard line. And return man Ryan Niblett had just one opportunity, returning a kickoff for 19 yards.
While no game-changing plays came on the third phase of the game, an outing with no mistakes on special teams will be very much welcomed after last week’s game.
Arkansas (2-8) at No. 10 Texas (7-3), Nov. 22 at 3:30 p.m. EST.
How to watch: ABC
Key stats
Texas Offense
Overall: 370.7 yards per game (80th in FBS)
Passing: 246.6 yards per game (50th)
Rushing: 124.1 yards per game (103rd)
Scoring: 27.6 points per game (68th)
Texas Defense
Overall: 318.3 yards per game (23rd in FBS)
Passing: 235.1 yards per game (92nd)
Rushing: 83.2 yards per game (6th)
Scoring: 18.3 points per game (15th)
Arkansas Offense
Overall: 470.0 yards per game (13th in FBS)
Passing: 264.6 yards per game (33rd)
Rushing: 205.4 yards per game (18th)
Scoring: 34.1 points per game (25th)
Arkansas Defense
Overall: 426.5 yards per game (123rd in FBS)
Passing: 245.3 yards per game (108th)
Rushing: 181.2 yards per game (115th)
Scoring: 32.3 points per game (121st)
Texas ranks 25th in FBS in defensive third down percentage, allowing opponents to convert on 33.8% of third downs.
Arkansas is 129th in the FBS with a -10 turnover margin, compared to Texas’ 12th-ranked +8 margin.
Texas ranks 119th in the FBS with 65.3 penalty yards per game.
Arkansas ranks 114th in FBS in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on % of trips.
Team leaders
Texas
Passing: Arch Manning, 2,374 yards, 19 TDs, 7 INTs, 62.7 completion percentage
Rushing: Quintrevion Wisner, 375 yards on 97 carries, 3 TDs
Receiving: Ryan Wingo, 655 yards on 40 catches, 6 TDs
Arkansas
Passing: Taylen Green, 2,537 yards, 19 TDs, 10 INTs, 62.1 completion percentage
Rushing: Mike Washington, 913 yards on 140 carries, 7 TDs
Receiving: O’Mega Blake, 678 yards on 51 catches, 4 TDs
Last game
Texas fell to Georgia 35-10 on Saturday, Nov. 15. Manning led Texas with 251 yards on 27-of-43 passing (62.8%) for one touchdown and one interception. Wisner had 37 rushing yards on nine carries, adding two receptions for 10 yards. DeAndre Moore Jr. recorded 75 yards on five catches.
Arkansas lost 23-22 to LSU on Saturday, Nov. 15. Green passed for 165 yards on 11-of-19 attempts (57.9%) with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He also carried the ball 17 times for 70 yards and one rushing touchdown. Washington had 85 rushing yards on 13 carries and one touchdown, adding one reception for six yards. Raylen Sharpe put up 65 yards on four catches.
Next game
Texas hosts No. 3 Texas A&M on Nov. 28. Arkansas hosts Missouri on Nov. 29.
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