U.S. voters have increasingly tied support for crypto regulation to electoral choices as a new HarrisX survey showed bipartisan backing for the CLARITY Act ahead of a possible Senate Banking Committee markup next week.
Summary
- 52% of U.S. voters backed the CLARITY Act in a new HarrisX survey conducted between May 1 and May 4.
- Nearly half of respondents said support for crypto regulation could influence how they vote across party lines.
- Senate Banking Committee members are preparing for a possible CLARITY Act markup during the week of May 11.
According to HarrisX, 52% of 2,008 registered voters surveyed between May 1 and May 4 supported the CLARITY Act, while only 11% opposed it. The poll also found that 47% of respondents would consider backing a candidate outside their preferred party if that candidate supported the legislation and their own party did not. Among crypto users, the figure rose to 72%.
Public support extended across party lines, with HarrisX reporting support from 58% of Republicans, 55% of Democrats, and 42% of independents. The survey added that senators supporting the bill could gain a 20-point electoral advantage.
Senate markup window draws closer
At the Consensus 2026 conference in Miami on Wednesday, Coinbase vice president of U.S. policy Kara Calvert said she expected a Senate Banking Committee markup “next week,” referring to the week beginning May 11. Calvert said bipartisan cooperation remained necessary because the bill still requires at least 60 Senate votes to pass.
Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott said earlier this week that the panel was “nearing consensus” on a bipartisan markup after missing two earlier deadlines in 2026. Crypto.news previously reported that Scott was still working to resolve objections from Senator John Kennedy before moving ahead with the process.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also expressed optimism during a Consensus Miami panel appearance alongside Kevin O’Leary and Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal. Gillibrand said she believed the legislation could still move through Congress before the May 21 Memorial Day recess, which several lawmakers and industry executives have described as a critical deadline for the bill this cycle.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse warned at the same conference that failure to move the bill within the next two weeks could push the issue deeper into the 2026 U.S. midterm political cycle. Garlinghouse said the legislation’s chances would “drop precipitously” if lawmakers failed to act before campaign pressures intensified.
Recent negotiations between Senators Thom Tillis and Angela Alsobrooks helped revive momentum after months of disputes over stablecoin yield provisions. As previously reported by crypto.news, the compromise language would prohibit issuers and affiliated platforms from offering interest-like returns on stablecoin balances that resemble bank deposits, while still allowing some rewards tied to payments activity and promotional programs.
The CLARITY Act already passed the House in July 2025 with a 294 to 134 bipartisan vote and cleared the Senate Agriculture Committee in January 2026. Before becoming law, the bill still requires Senate Banking Committee approval, a successful Senate floor vote, reconciliation between Senate and House versions, and a presidential signature.
