38% of US voters will consider candidates’ position on crypto in midterms: Survey

Roughly a third of eligible voters in the United States will be “considering crypto policy positions” when choosing candidates in the 2022 midterm elections, according to a new survey.

In the results of a 2,029-person survey conducted by The Harris Poll between Oct. 6 and 11, 57% of likely midterm voters say they would be more likely to vote for a political candidate interested in staying informed about cryptocurrencies, while 38% said they would consider positions on crypto policy when voting in the midterms. The survey, initiated by Grayscale Investments, also suggests that crypto regulation is a bipartisan issue, with 87% of Democratic and 76% of Republican respondents saying they want clarity from the U.S. government.

“Voters and lawmakers alike have been hearing about crypto, and it seems they’ve taken the opportunity to learn about the asset class,” says the Grayscale summary. “Despite political divisions, the survey found broad familiarity with crypto across party lines and a majority of both Republicans and Democrats who agree that crypto represents the future of finance.”

“This survey reinforces that #crypto continues to generate diverse, mainstream investor interest and engagement,” said Grayscale CEO @Sonnenshein. Compare your answers with the results here: https://t.co/SLus4nfopk

— Grayscale (@Grayscale) November 1, 2022

Early voting for the U.S. midterms has already begun in many states, with Election Day set for Nov. 8. The future majority control of both the House of Representatives and Senate hangs in the balance, with a number of issues driving many voters to the polls, including abortion, gun control, free and fair elections, and the economy — including crypto.

Speaking to Cointelegraph, Jeff Howard, North American head of business development at digital assets platform OSL, suggested that many may consider digital assets as part of financial inclusion efforts, but the space largely isn’t big enough to appeal to single-issue voters in the United States:

“I don’t think crypto has seeped into the psyche of American voters as much yet. In every topic or every issue, you have a hardcore group that supports or a group that is against, but I don’t think crypto in and of itself as a one-issue vote has gotten big enough to matter yet.”

In the current session of Congress, 220 representatives in the House caucus with the Democrats, while Republicans hold 212 seats, and three remain vacant. All 435 House seats are up for election, as are 34 of those in the Senate. Democrats currently hold control of both chambers by a slim majority, giving Republicans a chance to flip both on Nov. 8.