Crypto Donor Teams Up with Climate Critic to Target GOP Primary Candidates

Chris Larsen, co-founder of Ripple Labs, is channeling $6 million into the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, a political action committee that promotes climate-friendly policies and is headed by Michael Brune, the former Sierra Club executive director who departed amid an investigation into workplace misconduct. Despite Brune’s past criticism of crypto as a “climate catastrophe,” he now oversees a campaign that has spent $2 million against Trump-backed Rep. Andy Ogles, $1 million against Rep. Ralph Norman, and about $640,000 against Rep. Chip Roy, each of whom was defeated in their respective primaries.

The coalition’s funding also includes contributions from solar companies, climate-focused hedge funds, and former Biden energy loan czar Jigar Shah. Its advertisements avoid mentioning climate issues, instead labeling the targeted Republicans as “MAGA traitors” or “Lyin’ Andy Ogles,” and use micro-targeting based on interests such as light beer and hunting. Larsen, a major Democratic donor, described the effort as “political warfare,” while Brune said the goal is to impose “real consequences” on anti-solar lawmakers. The group holds $3.2 million in cash as of July 31 and intends to expand its activities nationwide through November.