Dara accuses AG Letitia James of ‘lawfare’ against crypto firms as he enters the 2026 race
Khurram Dara, a former policy lawyer at Coinbase, has officially announced his candidacy for New York State Attorney General, setting up a potential showdown with incumbent Letitia James in the 2026 election.
In a statement released Friday, Dara said his background in regulatory and policy work — particularly within the crypto and fintech sectors — makes him uniquely positioned to reform how New York approaches digital asset oversight. He accused James of using aggressive litigation tactics, calling her actions “lawfare” against the crypto industry.
Background in Crypto Policy and Enforcement Battles
According to his LinkedIn profile, Dara most recently served as the regulatory and policy principal at Bain Capital Crypto until July. Before that, he was policy counsel at Coinbase from June 2022 to January 2023 and also held roles at blockchain firms Fluidity and Airswap.
His entry into the race follows months of hints suggesting he might challenge James, whose tenure has been marked by high-profile enforcement actions against companies including Genesis, KuCoin, and NovaTech. The next attorney general will wield significant influence over how aggressively the state targets crypto firms operating in or serving New Yorkers.
Campaign Themes and New York’s Political Landscape
Dara said he will run as a Republican, aligning parts of his platform with concerns highlighted in Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s recent campaign, including the cost of living and affordability issues affecting New Yorkers.
Cointelegraph attempted to reach Dara for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Another Crypto-Linked Candidate Joins 2026 Races
Dara’s announcement comes as John Deaton, well known for representing XRP holders in the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple, also launches another political bid. Deaton, who lost to Senator Elizabeth Warren in 2024 by roughly 700,000 votes, announced on Nov. 10 that he will run again as a Republican — this time vying to unseat Senator Ed Markey in 2026.
Both Dara and Deaton face steep challenges in states that heavily favor Democratic candidates. The last Republican to win a U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts was in 2010, and New York has not elected a Republican attorney general since 1994.
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