How does George Soros' 2024 election donation total compare to his 2020 donations?
Executive summary
George Soros’ visible 2024-cycle political giving was far smaller and more targeted than his 2020-era outlays: OpenSecrets and related reporting show Soros-backed Democracy PAC received roughly $60.7 million for the 2024 cycle (mostly from the Fund for Policy Reform) while Ballotpedia and OpenSecrets record Soros gave $28.3 million to Democracy PAC in 2020 and tens of millions across the 2020 cycle to other groups (including reports that he was the largest donor in 2022 with $128.5 million to Democrats) [1] [2] [3].
1. What the public filings actually say
Federal filings compiled by OpenSecrets show Democracy PAC had received $60.7 million for the 2024 cycle as of mid‑year and that nearly all of that money came from the Fund for Policy Reform, an entity tied to George Soros [1]. OpenSecrets’ organizational profile also emphasizes that its cycle numbers come from FEC disclosures for 2024 [4]. Ballotpedia cites OpenSecrets data that Soros donated $28.3 million to Democracy PAC in 2020 — a concrete, individual‑level transfer that helps explain why 2020 is often described as a peak personal giving year for Soros [2].
2. Apples-to‑oranges comparisons: personal checks vs. affiliated vehicles
Comparing a named individual’s personal donations in 2020 to the aggregate inflows of Soros‑linked super PACs in 2024 risks conflating different legal actors. In 2024 much of the super PAC money counted as “Soros‑linked” came via the Fund for Policy Reform or other Soros‑affiliated vehicles rather than direct checks from George Soros personally, and OpenSecrets notes Democracy PAC’s receipts were largely from that Fund [1]. OpenSecrets’ organizational pages stress methodology distinctions between contributions by individuals and receipts by organizations [4] [5].
3. Trends: less direct spending by a single named donor, more institutionalized funding
Reporting indicates a structural shift: Soros previously appeared as a direct donor of very large sums to Democracy PAC (e.g., $28.3 million in 2020 per Ballotpedia/OpenSecrets) while in 2024 the bulk of large infusions were routed through affiliated entities and the Fund for Policy Reform, producing the $60.7 million figure in filings [2] [1]. Colorado Politics documents a reduction in some family PAC activity too, noting Democracy PAC cut overall spending by more than $14 million in 2024 under Alex Soros compared with earlier cycles while redirecting funds into other mainstream Democratic committees [6].
4. Magnitudes and context: 2020 peak vs. 2024’s concentrated flows
Ballotpedia and OpenSecrets provide the clearest magnitudes: $28.3 million in direct donations to Democracy PAC in 2020 versus Democracy PAC’s reported $60.7 million receipts in 2024 (nearly all from an affiliated fund) [2] [1]. That does not mean Soros personally wrote the larger 2024 checks; filings indicate organizational funding dominated 2024 receipts [1]. Other reporting places Soros’ cycle‑level influence higher in surrounding years (for example, 2022 reporting that he donated $128.5 million to support Democrats that cycle), underscoring volatility in totals across cycles [3].
5. Where sources disagree or leave gaps
Available sources do not provide a single, line‑item total that sums “George Soros’ 2024 personal donations” comparable to the 2020 personal total of $28.3 million. OpenSecrets and Ballotpedia present related but differently framed figures — organization receipts versus individual donations — and the reporting notes most 2024 Democracy PAC receipts derived from the Fund for Policy Reform rather than direct Soros personal checks [1] [2]. Colorado Politics documents family PAC shifts but focuses on Alex Soros’ role in 2024 rather than isolating George Soros’ personal 2024 disbursements [6].
6. How political actors use these numbers
Both sides of the political debate use these filings strategically: critics portray Soros as a monolithic funder of progressive causes, while defenders point to the formal separation between personal giving, family‑run PACs, and affiliated foundation or fund transfers. FactCheck and PolitiFact caution against simplistic claims attributing all activity to one individual, and OpenSecrets’ notes on methodology underline that organization receipts and individual contributions are distinct in FEC records [1] [4] [7].
7. Bottom line for readers
Direct, documented personal donations from George Soros to Democracy PAC totaled about $28.3 million in 2020 [2]. In 2024, Democracy PAC recorded roughly $60.7 million in receipts — largely from the Fund for Policy Reform associated with Soros — but sources do not present a single, comparable “George Soros personal donation” total for 2024 that matches the 2020 metric [1] [2]. Reporters and readers must note the legal channels differ: personal checks, family PAC decisions, and funding from affiliated nonprofits show different actors on the public record [4] [5] [1].