Ripple executives Stuart Alderoty and Brad Garlinghouse have pushed back against claims that the November 2026 US midterm elections represent a major setback for the cryptocurrency industry. Their response comes after an election night that produced a mixed outcome for crypto-backed political groups, with several candidates they supported winning while some of their most expensive campaigns ended in defeat.
Alderoty, Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer, congratulated elected representatives from both parties and said the company remained committed to working with Congress and the administration on digital asset regulation. He argued that headlines describing the results as a setback overlooked the number of pro-crypto candidates who secured seats across the political divide.
Garlinghouse delivered a similar message, pointing to the election of pro-crypto lawmakers from both parties and the estimated 67 million Americans who own cryptocurrency. His position was that the industry’s regulatory mission remains unchanged despite the political reshuffling in Washington.
The comments reflect a distinction between the election of individual crypto-friendly lawmakers and the broader performance of the industry’s political spending strategy. Fairshake, the leading crypto-focused super PAC, reported several important victories, but the industry also suffered high-profile losses in races where it committed substantial financial resources.
Fairshake Wins Amid Significant Election Setbacks
According to election coverage from Reuters, Fairshake-supported candidates won 29 of the 34 races decided in which the organization had backed candidates. Its network also helped Republican Senator Pete Ricketts retain his Nebraska seat against independent challenger Dan Osborn. These results give the industry several allies who could influence future discussions about digital asset legislation.
However, the losses were difficult to overlook. In Ohio, Democrat Sherrod Brown defeated Republican Jon Husted despite substantial spending by crypto-backed political groups seeking to prevent Brown’s return to the Senate. Other candidates associated with the industry’s preferred outcomes also lost, including Republican Ken Paxton in Texas and incumbent Bryan Steil in Wisconsin.
The election also changed the balance of power in Congress. Democrats secured control of both chambers, according to preliminary election reporting, meaning crypto companies will need to build relationships with a Democratic-led Congress rather than relying primarily on support from Republican lawmakers. That shift could influence the priorities, negotiations and oversight surrounding future digital asset legislation.
Stand With Crypto’s preliminary election dashboard showed 207 pro-crypto candidates elected to the House and 17 to the Senate among the races called at the time of its November 4 update. The organization also reported 103 anti-crypto House winners and eight Senate winners. These figures are advocacy-group classifications, and the results remained incomplete and unofficial pending certification.
Ripple Keeps Regulatory Clarity at the Center
Alderoty’s argument is that political engagement cannot be measured by a single election cycle. He credited grassroots advocates, industry organizations and political groups for helping establish cryptocurrency as an issue that candidates from both parties must address. Ripple intends to continue that engagement through relationships with lawmakers, political advocacy and educational initiatives.
The 67 million figure cited by both executives comes from the National Cryptocurrency Association’s 2026 State of Crypto Holders Report, conducted with The Harris Poll. Published in May, the research estimated that more than 67 million American adults owned cryptocurrency, approximately one in four adults. The report also found that 41% of holders used crypto to send money to friends and family, while 40% used it to shop and pay.
Those figures provide an important part of the industry’s argument: digital assets have an established user base extending beyond speculative trading. However, ownership estimates do not automatically translate into political support for every crypto policy proposal. Lawmakers will still have to address questions involving consumer protection, market oversight, financial stability and the responsibilities of digital asset companies.
For Ripple, the central objective remains clear rules that allow businesses to develop and operate in the United States. Garlinghouse’s message that the industry will continue pursuing this goal reflects a longer regulatory campaign rather than a reaction to one election result.
The November elections have changed the political environment, but they have not removed cryptocurrency from the legislative agenda. Ripple’s challenge now is to turn bipartisan relationships and public adoption into support for workable legislation. Whether the next Congress delivers that clarity will depend less on campaign victories alone and more on its ability to negotiate rules that attract support across party lines.
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