CHICAGO (Tuesday, February 24, 2026)--Fairshake, a pro-crypto super PAC funded primarily by Trump megadonors, has launched negative television and mail advertising smearing State Sen. Robert Peters in the race for the open 2nd Congressional District seat.

The television ad, which can be seen here, and the mail, viewable here, falsely attempt to paint Peters as a “fighter for corporate interests.”

“These attacks–paid for by literal corrupt corporate interests, against a candidate who has been endorsed by Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and End Citizens United–would be laughable if they weren’t so sinister,” said Peters. “What we have here is a super PAC funded by Trump-aligned billionaires who are intentionally lying to Black voters to try to steal this congressional seat. It won’t work. Our grassroots-powered campaign is surging, and these right-wing special interests know it.”

The super PAC Fairshake said last week it will spend “at least $1 million” against Peters.

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.” Peters’ legislation was supported by nearly every Democrat in the Illinois Senate and signed into law by Gov. Pritzker, who called it “a clear message that we won’t tolerate taking advantage of our people and their hard-earned assets.” The new law will help protect Illinoisans from cryptocurrency scams. According to the FBI, crypto scammers defrauded Illinois residents out of $272 million in 2024 alone.

Fairshake is funded primarily by Trump megadonors and business partners Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. Andreessen 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 AI billionaires, 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. In addition to Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, he is endorsed by Rep. Delia Ramirez, the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, End Citizens United, United Working Families and more.

Chicagoland Journal: Bernie Sanders endorses Robert Peters for Congress