McLaren Urges Engagement with Crypto Asset Policy Regardless of U.S. Election Results

McLaren, government relations head at the Solana Policy Institute, urged the US crypto industry to continue candidate education and congressional engagement regardless of election outcomes, in a CoinDesk-published op-ed on Wednesday. He argued the industry should not rely solely on litigation for regulatory clarity but must directly present its position to Congress, maintaining outreach with policymakers through the 2026 midterms and into the 2028 presidential election regardless of which party wins. The push comes as payment stablecoin legislation has been enacted but a market structure bill has failed to clear the Senate floor threshold. The commentary matters because it signals that industry policy strategy is shifting toward sustained, election-agnostic legislative advocacy rather than election-dependent positioning. What to watch next: whether the stalled market structure bill gains Senate traction and how industry groups adjust their congressional engagement ahead of the midterms.