CHICAGO (Tuesday, February 17, 2026)--Yet another Trump-tied super PAC is placing a “seven-figure ad buy” in the race for the open 2nd Congressional District seat.

The super PAC Fairshake will spend “at least $1 million” against State Sen. Robert Peters, according to a new POLITICO report.

“Outside Super PACs funded by Trump-aligned billionaires are dumping millions of dollars into this race to try to buy this historically Black seat and subvert the will of its electorate,” said Peters. “They’re all in to beat me because I’ve made it clear that I can’t be bought. On Election Day, we’ll send a clear message—our community’s representation is not for sale.”

Fairshake is targeting Peters because he “voted for state-level crypto legislation imposing new rules on digital asset firms that became law last August. Peters — who is backed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a leading crypto critic — was a co-sponsor of the measure, which forces crypto companies to comply with a range of new consumer protection standards.”

Fairshake is a pro-crypto super PAC that is funded primarily by Trump megadonors and business partners Marc Andreesson and Ben Horowitz. Andreesson is an advisor to the Trump administration and holds a role where he helps oversee ICE.   

Fairshake’s other main funder, Ripple, was charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission for illegally selling unregistered Securities, and was fined $125 million in that case. Last year, the Trump administration dropped the case and refunded most of the fine after Ripple donated $5 million to Trump’s inaugural committee and visited Trump at the White House. 

Fairshake and its affiliated PACs primarily spend in support of Republicans –and spent $40 million to defeat Senate Banking Committee Chair Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, in 2024, handing Republicans a majority in the Senate.

Fairshake is the third Trump-tied super PAC to invest millions to oppose Peters. The so-called “Affordable Chicago Now!” super PAC, a shell PAC for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is spending heavily in support of Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller. Fairshake joins the Trump-aligned “Leading the Future” super PAC, funded by OpenAI stakeholders, in supporting Jesse Jackson, Jr. 

Peters, a State Senator since 2019, has built a grassroots, progressive campaign for the seat being vacated by incumbent Rep. Robin Kelly. He is endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Delia Ramirez, Rep. Ro Khanna, the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, End Citizens United and more. 

To learn more about Robert Peters, please visit www.robertpetersforcongress.com.