Khurram Dara, a previous policy attorney at Coinbase, has officially announced his candidacy for New York State Attorney General.
In a statement released on Friday, Dara emphasized his extensive “regulatory and policy expertise, especially within the crypto and fintech sectors,” as part of his motive to unseat Attorney General Letitia James in the 2026 elections.
He has been signaling his interest in the position since August, alleging that James has waged “lawfare” against the cryptocurrency sector in the state.
Source: Khurram Dara
According to his LinkedIn page, Dara served as the regulatory and policy principal at Bain Capital Crypto until July and was Coinbase’s policy attorney from June 2022 to January 2023. His background also includes roles at crypto firms Fluidity and Airswap.
Letitia James has been in office since 2019 and has faced backlash from the crypto community for lawsuits she has initiated on behalf of affected New Yorkers, including against Genesis, KuCoin, and NovaTech. The incoming New York AG will hold significant power regarding potential charges against crypto entities.
Dara, planning to run as a Republican, echoed Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s recent campaign, addressing New Yorkers’ concerns regarding the rising cost of living and affordability. Cointelegraph sought comments from Dara, but no response was received at the time of publication.
Additional Political Notes
Former Massachusetts senatorial candidate John Deaton has also declared his intention to challenge another Democrat. After losing to Senator Elizabeth Warren in 2024 by roughly 700,000 votes, he announced on November 10 that he would run as a Republican to take on Senator Ed Markey in 2026.
Deaton became well-known in the cryptocurrency landscape for representing XRP holders in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s case against Ripple.
Both Dara and Deaton are attempting to compete in races that have historically favored Democrats. Since 2010, no Republican has won a U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts, and both contenders are projected to encounter challenges in their respective Republican primary elections.
