3 key congressional races to watch on tech policy

The upcoming election is poised to have major ramifications for regulation of the tech industry, with control of Congress and the White House virtually a toss-up just two weeks out. A look at the three top races to watch this cycle:

1. Texas Senate seat: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) vs. Colin Allred (D-TX). No single congressional race may be as impactful for the tech sector as Sen. Ted Cruz’s reelection bid against Rep. Colin Allred. Democrats have long dreamed of flipping Cruz’s seat blue in the typically conservative bastion of Texas, but Cruz is again considered to have an edge in the race, according to the Cook Political Report. While a surprise Cruz defeat would have huge implications for the Senate, it could be felt acutely in Silicon Valley given his prominence on the chamber’s powerful Commerce Committee.
2. California’s 16th District: Sam Liccardo (D-CA) vs. Evan Low (D-CA). One of the races most closely watched by tech insiders this year features two Democrats, Sam Liccardo and Evan Low, who are vying to replace the retiring Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) in California’s 16th congressional district, which includes parts of Silicon Valley. Liccardo, a former mayor of San Jose, took a tougher stance against major tech companies at a recent debate. He called for opening platforms up to liability if they fail to meet industry standards on issues like child safety and for requiring that they verify the ages of users. Low, a member of the state assembly, has worked closely with the tech industry as co-chair of the California Technology and Innovation Caucus and has earned plaudits from tech trade groups.
3. Ohio Senate seat: Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) vs. Bernie Moreno (R-OH). The crypto industry has launched an unprecedented campaign to elect lawmakers friendly to their regulatory agenda, spending more than $134 million to mobilize voters this cycle. The stakes for crypto policy are high: Brown has called for more stringent regulation of the sector and holds an influential role in policymaking as chair of the Senate Banking Committee. Moreno, meanwhile, has a blockchain background and has advocated “pro-crypto” policies.