Rep. @RepBryanSteil, one of the original sponsors of the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, is in a tight race for re-election in Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District. His opponent
Rep. @RepBryanSteil, one of the original sponsors of the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, is in a tight race for re-election in Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District. His opponent is Democrat Mitchell Berman, an emergency room nurse. Fairshake, the crypto-focused super PAC backed by @coinbase, is putting more than $1 million behind the incumbent to help protect his seat and the legislation.
The district has long favoured Republicans. According to the Wisconsin Examiner, southern Wisconsin's 1st District has been represented by a Republican since 1994, but this year presents Democrats with their best chance in decades, and recent polling shows the race neck and neck.
Steil has held the seat since 2018, when he succeeded former House Speaker Paul Ryan. Berman won the Democratic primary in August, and Wisconsin Public Radio reported that the Associated Press called the race shortly after polls closed. The general election takes place on Nov. 3, 2026.
National Democrats have also stepped in. WPR reported that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is sending Berman additional resources through its Red to Blue programme. A University of Wisconsin-La Crosse political scientist told WPR he was not ready to call the contest a true toss-up, though national generic ballot polling leans toward Democrats.
The CLARITY Act is the main US market structure bill for digital assets. Law firm Latham & Watkins' policy tracker notes that it passed the House 294 to 134 on July 17, 2025, and was then sent to the Senate. The Senate Banking Committee advanced its version 15 to 9 on May 14, 2026.
The bill has since stalled. Finextra reported that the Senate voted 49 to 50 against advancing it, short of the 60 votes needed. Analysis from Bit.com says the vote failed over language restricting the president's crypto income, and that no Democrat voted yes.
That leaves November's results central to the bill's prospects. Crypto-aligned groups are backing allies in competitive House races, and Steil's contest is among those drawing industry money. Whether the CLARITY Act is revived will depend in part on the makeup of the next Congress.
Wisconsin Examiner: 1st Congressional District voter guideWisconsin Public Radio: Berman added to Red to Blue initiativeLatham & Watkins: US Crypto Policy Tracker
