Khurram Dara, formerly a policy lawyer at Coinbase, has officially announced his candidacy for the role of New York State Attorney General, aiming to challenge Letitia James in the upcoming election. His campaign launch on Friday highlighted his knowledge and experience within the cryptocurrency and fintech sectors as key factors motivating his run.

Since August, Dara gradually hinted at his political aspirations, accusing James of engaging in ’lawfare’ against the crypto sector.

Khurram Dara Source: Khurram Dara
Until mid-2025, Dara served as the regulatory and policy head at Bain Capital Crypto. His LinkedIn states that he was with Coinbase from June 2022 to January 2023, holding previous roles with other crypto firms.

James, in her tenure starting back in 2019, received backlash from cryptocurrency advocates for lawsuits targeting firms such as Genesis, KuCoin, and NovaTech. The upcoming Attorney General would hold considerable sway over legal actions concerning cryptocurrency businesses.

Dara, who plans to run as a Republican, aligns his approach with that of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, focusing on issues like living costs in New York.

The lawyer known for advocating XRP holders is also entering the political race again

As the clock ticks down for candidate announcements, John Deaton, who previously ran for the Senate, has declared his intent to challenge a Democrat once more. Deaton lost to Senator Elizabeth Warren in 2024 by a significant margin but is now set to contest Senator Ed Markey’s position in the 2026 elections.

Recognized in the crypto community for his support of XRP holders during the SEC’s case against Ripple, Deaton will navigate a landscape heavily favoring Democrats, as the last GOP victory for a Senate seat in Massachusetts was in 2010.

For further information, check the related article on New York AG urging Congress for stronger crypto protections.