A previously undisclosed poll being circulated among Senate Democrats shows that cryptocurrency remains deeply unpopular with the party’s base, potentially complicating the path forward for the long-awaited CLARITY Act as lawmakers prepare for a crucial procedural vote next week.
According to polling conducted by Democratic research firm Normington Petts and obtained by Semafor, 84% of Democratic primary voters hold an unfavorable view of candidates backed by the cryptocurrency industry. The survey also found that crypto is viewed more negatively than oil companies, Wall Street banks and data centers by Democratic voters, highlighting the political headwinds facing lawmakers who support the industry.
The poll comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the crypto sector, which has made passage of the Clarity Act its top legislative priority.
The crypto industry, however, dismissed the survey’s practical implications.
“There’s no such thing as an anti-crypto voter,” one industry source told Semafor. “The only people voting on this issue are pro-crypto.”
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The source added that pro-crypto super PAC Fairshake could still influence elections by running advertisements focused on more mainstream campaign issues rather than digital assets themselves.
Clarity Act negotiations continue
Despite the polling, negotiations over the CLARITY Act appear to be making progress.
Anthony Scaramucci, founder of SkyBridge Capital, recently claimed that Senators Thom Tillis and Ruben Gallego had negotiated a “very strong bipartisan ethics provision.” Lawmakers opposing the legislation could face political consequences during the November midterm elections, according to the investor.
“If POTUS ultimately signs off, which I think he will, who will stand in the way of Clarity?” Scaramucci wrote on X.
Coinbase Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad also struck an optimistic tone. “We’ve got ethics nailed down, we’ve got nominations nailed down, we’ve got a bipartisan bill on the substance—we should be good to go.”
Meanwhile, digital asset manager Grayscale has formally urged the Senate to hold a floor vote before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess.
“Senators and staff across the aisle have spent months addressing hard questions about jurisdiction, investor protections, and developer safeguards,” the letter said.
Still, several Democratic senators remain unconvinced.
Last week, Mark Warner, Ruben Gallego, Angela Alsobrooks, Cory Booker, Catherine Cortez Masto, Raphael Warnock and John Hickenlooper released a joint statement arguing that the latest Republican draft “falls short.”
The party’s most outspoken critic remains Senator Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee.
Polymarket shows uncertainty
According to the latest Polymarket odds, traders currently assign just a 34% probability that the CLARITY Act will receive more than 60 “yes” votes on final passage. Markets place the odds of exceeding 58 votes at 48% and 55 votes at 52%, indicating considerable uncertainty over whether enough Democrats will ultimately cross party lines.
