Crypto billionaire Chris Larsen drops $500K on District 10 supervisor race

Crypto billionaire Chris Larsen has contributed $500,000 to support Theo Ellington for District 10 supervisor, according to a new campaign finance filing submitted Thursday. 

While the sum is not unusual relative to Larsen’s other contributions, it is highly unusual for a San Francisco supervisorial race — and likely larger than any other contribution coming from an individual to support a city supervisor candidate ever. 

Larsen, his wife, Lyna Lam, and his company Ripple Labs, have collectively poured more money into the San Francisco races than any other donor spending in the November election. Larsen and his wife have given $2.5 million to support Mayor Daniel Lurie’s charter amendments, and Ripple has given $500,000 toward Lurie’s committee supporting the Muni parcel tax measure. 

Ellington is the executive director of the Ruth Williams Bayview Opera House, and a policy director at Brownstein, a public affairs firm — he is a registered city lobbyist. 

He is in the running against J.R. Eppler, a small business attorney and Dion-Jay Brookter, former chief executive at Young Community Developers, to represent District 10, which includes Bayview Hunters-Point, Visitacion Valley, Portola and Dogpatch. The winner of the race will succeed the termed-out Shamann Walton.