Crypto billionaire backs congressional hopeful in Oregon primary race

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Oregon voters are now used to seeing political ads from Carrick Flynn.

The congressional candidate said he grew up in poverty leading him to spend years of his life working to help impoverished nations.

“My family never really recovered from the homelessness that came after the flood I experienced when I was 9 years old, and I don’t really want any child to go through that,” Flynn said.

Flynn also advised Congress and the White House on pandemic planning, but it’s his political fundraising that has caught the attention of government spending research group Open Secrets.

Open Secrets government spending researcher Andrew Mayersohn said he has received a number of request to look into Flynn’s fundraising. He found the political novice received $10.2 million from one super PAC. The Protect Our Future PAC is backed by crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried.

“They spent more on his candidacy than any other super PAC has ever spent on a single House primary,” Mayersohn said.

Flynn has also received $1 million from the House Majority PAC tied to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Open Secrets said it’s unusual for that PAC to invest so much money in a primary race.

“While they have spent small amounts on in the past, it’s usually not been more than 100 thousand dollars, and they’ve spent more than $1 million on this race,” Mayersohn said.

Flynn said he has never spoken to Pelosi, or Bankman-Fried. He said he has worked on pandemic planning with Sam’s brother Gabe Bankman-Fried and speculates that was a reason for the record contribution.

The House Majority PAC Communications Director CJ Warnke sent the statement:

Flynn’s opponent, Oregon State Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-Lake Oswego), points to her track record working on state abortion rights and limiting carbon emissions.

“I have really been serving this community and delivering for this community on a number of issues that are important to the voters of the sixth congressional district,” Salinas said.

The new district seat is expected to be a challenge for Republicans to win in November’s general election. Polling analysis group 538 reports it leans Democrat by 7 points.

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