Longtime Ethereum developer Joe Schiarizzi announced on Thursday that he is running as a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
With a deep technical background, Schiarizzi has previously worked at industry heavyweights including Consensys, Gitcoin, and OpenSea. His candidacy brings a unique technological perspective to the race, though he has also drawn attention for his vocal criticism of the Trump administration.
In an interview with Decrypt, Schiarizzi argued that the original vision of cryptocurrency was to serve as a tool to counter corporate interests and empower workers, rather than becoming a mechanism for political fundraising. "This is the most corrupt administration in American history, and we have to take accountability seriously," he stated.
Promoting 'Public Good' Applications for Crypto
Schiarizzi contends that crypto technology should focus on socially beneficial use cases rather than meme coin speculation. He points to tokenizing renewable energy credits to fund solar farms or utilizing on-chain payments to ensure access to healthcare as the directions the technology should be heading.
Schiarizzi is critical of the current wave of "pro-crypto" lawmakers in Congress. He believes these politicians do not truly grasp the technology's potential and are merely chasing funding from crypto Super PACs. "It is better for that money to go to builders who actually want to use new technology to improve people’s lives than to Republicans who strip away rights and don’t believe in privacy," he warned.
If elected, he plans to push for simplified tax requirements for the crypto industry and legal safe harbors for common crypto tools. Additionally, he has proposed incorporating municipal bonds into the reserve assets of USD-pegged stablecoins to help fund schools and hospitals.
Beyond crypto, Schiarizzi is also a leader in the "YIMBY" (Yes In My Backyard) movement in Northern Virginia. He emphasizes that rapidly expanding the housing supply is essential to healing social divisions, noting that high housing costs have become an urgent societal crisis.
Despite his technical expertise, Schiarizzi faces a steep climb to Congress. The district is already crowded with several other Democrats, including state senators and delegates. As a key point of differentiation, Schiarizzi is currently accepting campaign donations in Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC, and even Trump-themed meme coins.
