George Soros/Political activity

George Soros is a wealthy, progressive political activist who seeks to attain his ideal of open society through donating to and founding political and social organizations that enact and encourage national and global change. This page concerns Soros' political activity, including candidate and political organization contributions in national, state, and local politics. To read more about Soros' career, philosophy, and other work, click here.

National political activity

Contributions

Note: Soros is a prolific donor to various campaigns and causes. The information below is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of his political contributions, but rather to be an overview of the types of individuals and issues Soros supports and opposes. Additionally, in many cases, donations to various causes are indirect. For example, Soros may have donated to a foundation, which donated to an advocacy group or issued a grant to another organization.

FEC records show that Soros personally contributed $18,360,000 from 2011 to March 2016 to Super PACs, Hybrid PACs, and historical soft money party accounts. From 1998 to March 2016, he contributed $3,774,292 to all other committees except joint fundraising committees. From 2008 to 2015, Soros contributed a total of $393,900 to joint fundraising committees, which distributed those funds to a number of final recipients. These financial figures do not include monies contributed to various causes through an intermediate foundation such as Soros' Open Society Foundations.

In 2019, Soros created Democracy PAC, a super PAC to support and/or oppose federal candidates in the 2020 elections. Soros contributed $5.1 million to the group through June 7, 2019.

2016 election cycle

The following chart details contributions Soros has personally made to individual campaigns for the U.S. House and Senate in 2016:

2016 Candidate contributions for George Soros
Candidate	Party	Office	Amount	Intermediate Donor
U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy	Democratic	U.S. Senate	$5,400	Friends of Patrick Murphy
Gov. Maggie Hassan	Democratic	U.S. Senate	$5,400	Maggie for NH
Zephyr Teachout	Democratic	U.S. House	$5,400	Zephyr Teachout for Congress
Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander	Democratic	U.S. Senate	$5,400	Missourians for Kander
Charlie Crist	Democratic	U.S. House	N/A

Hillary Clinton presidential campaign

See also: Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016

For the 2016 presidential election cycle, Soros signed on to be the co-chair of the finance council for Ready for Hillary, a Super PAC in support of Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. Ready for Hillary changed its name to Ready PAC when Clinton announced her candidacy and slowly began to "wind down as the Clinton campaign [built] up." FEC records show that Soros personally contributed at least $50,000 to Ready PAC from 2013 to 2015, and that he contributed $343,400 to the joint fundraising committee Hillary Victory Fund in November 2015.

Immigrant Voters Win

To learn more about immigration policy in the United States, see this article.

In March 2016, it was reported that Soros, "along with other donors, [supported] a $15 million campaign to achieve the largest Latino and immigrant participation at the polls." FEC records show that Soros has contributed at least $3 million of his own money to support the campaign. He and other contributors will be working through a super PAC called Immigrant Voters Win, which, according to a report by Fox News Latino, will fund "organizations in states such as Florida, Nevada and Colorado, which have large or growing Latino and Asian communities, in the hope of influencing turnout in November."

Local political activity

In addition to his national political contributions and support, George Soros has also been active in regional politics at the state and local levels. Politico describes Soros' local involvement as working "through a network of state-level super PACs and a national “527” unlimited-money group." In many states the political committees are called Safety and Justice PACs with the state name proceeding the committee name, such as the Arizona Safety & Justice PAC. These committees receive most, if not all, of their funding from Soros, according to Politico. During the 2015 and 2016 election cycles, Soros supported a series of candidates, the bulk of which were running for the office of district attorney; Soros' activity, according to Politico, has been aimed at "reshaping the American justice system."

2017 election cycle

Philadelphia district attorney primary race

See also: Municipal elections in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2017)

The eight-candidate field for district attorney was the largest field in the past four races for the office. The 2009 election, the last time the office was open, featured six Democratic candidates including Williams. The 2005 and 2013 elections featured three candidates and two candidates, respectively, with incumbents running for re-election. Of the eight candidates seeking the office in 2017, only Lawrence Krasner and Teresa Carr Deni had not worked in the district attorney's office in the past. Former assistant district attorneys won every election for the office between 1985 and 2013.

The Philadelphia Justice & Public Safety PAC scheduled $280,000 in television ads supporting Krasner's candidacy through May 2, 2017. The PAC had the same treasurer as other PACs funded by Soros. Soros contributed $1,450,000 to the PAC through May 1, 2017, and the PAC spent $497,456.04 on ads and other expenses to express support for Krasner's campaign. The Build a Better PA PAC scheduled $123,000 in ads to support O'Neill's candidacy prior to the primary. This PAC also ran ads in 2015 supporting Mayor Jim Kenney's (D) campaign. Build a Better PA PAC spent $255,724.53 on ads and other expenses to express support for O'Neill's campaign through May 1, 2017.

Arizona

Arizona Safety and Justice

Soros contributed to a political committee called Arizona Safety & Justice. The group opposed Maricopa County prosecutor incumbent Bill Montgomery (R) in the 2016 election. Soros was supporting the Democratic candidate Diego Rodriguez. Rodriguez had been vocal in his opposition to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whom Soros also opposed. On October 22, 2016, Bill Montgomery filed a complaint with the Maricopa County Recorder's Office stating that the Arizona Safety & Justice PAC failed to notify Montgomery's campaign about ads 24 hours prior to there release, which, according to the complaint, is required by election law.

Maricopa Strong

In October 2016, Soros contributed $300,000 to Maricopa Strong, which supported Democrat Paul Penzone for sheriff over Arpaio. On November 4, 2016, Politico reported that Soros donated $2 million to Maricopa Strong, an outside organization opposing the re-election efforts of Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The article noted that Soros' donation combined his interest in donating to more local law enforcement races and his interest in immigration-related issues: "Soros’ spending against Arpaio, a high-profile liberal bogeyman, is his single biggest investment in a local race this year, as well as the billionaire’s first effort against a sheriff. It folds in immigration reform, another policy passion of Soros’, alongside criminal justice reform." Arpaio is best known for his outspoken criticism of the federal government's policies concerning illegal immigration.

Maricopa Strong, which also received funding from California billionaire Laurene Powell Jobs and former Enron executive John Arnold and his wife Laura, aired advertisements that claimed, in part, "Joe Arpaio has put his personal agenda ahead of public safety, costing taxpayers more than $142 million."

Colorado

On October 10, 2016, it was reported that Soros contributed to a political committee called Colorado Safety and Justice. The committee opposed Republican Pete Weir, the incumbent Jefferson County district attorney. The committee aired ads opposing Weir and supporting Democratic candidate Jake Lilly, a former military prosecutor. Soros contributed over $100,000 to Colorado Safety and Justice, according to CBS Denver.

Florida

In the 2016 race for Orange-Osceola State Attorney in Florida, Democratic candidate Aramis Ayala, who ran against Republican incumbent Jeff Ashton. A Soros-backed political committee, Florida Safety & Justice, aired ads in support of Ayala.

Illinois

During the 2016 Democratic primaries in Illinois, Soros contributed $333,000 to the Illinois Safety and Justice PAC supporting Cook County district attorney candidate Kim Foxx (D) against incumbent Anita Alvarez. Foxx won the primary and faced off against Republican Christopher Pfannkuche in November 2016. Foxx, according to Chicago's PBS station, WTTW, was continuing to receive support from Soros.

Louisiana

According to The Shreveport Times, Soros, through the Louisiana Safety & Justice PAC, contributed over $916,000 to the Caddo Parish district attorney's race in 2015. The committee supported Democratic candidate James E. Stewart. Stewart won the election in November 2015 defeating Dhu Thompson (R).

Mississippi

In the 2015 Lowndes County district attorney race, Soros supported Scott Colom (D) against incumbent Forrest Allgood (R). Soros gave through a super PAC called Mississippi Safety and Justice. According to The Dispatch, the super PAC spent at least $89,000 in support of Colom. Colom won the election. The super PAC also gave money to the Hinds County district attorney's race in 2015; the group supported Robert Shuler Smith (D).

Missouri

In the 2016 Democratic primaries for St. Louis circuit attorney, the partly Soros-backed Safety & Justice Committee contributed to Kim Gardner's (D) campaign through online and television ads. Gardner ran against fellow Democrats Mary Pat Carl, Patrick Hamacher, and Steve Harmon. Gardner won the primary in August 2016 and she did not face a Republican challenger in November.

New Mexico

In 2016, Soros contributed to the Bernalillo County district attorney's race, supporting Raul Torrez in the Democratic primaries against Edmund Perea. The money went to the New Mexico Safety & Justice PAC, to which Soros gave $107,000. On June 23, 2016, Simon Kubiak, Torrez's Republican challenger, dropped out of the general election race citing "purely financial" reasons.

Texas

In October 2016, the Houston Chronicle reported that Soros had made a $500,000 ad buy in support of Harris County—the county in which Houston is located—district attorney candidate Kim Ogg (D). Soros had supported, in February 2016, Ogg's primary election opponent Morris Overstreet (D) with a $100,000 contribution. Ogg was running against Republican incumbent Devon Anderson.

2015 election cycle

Louisiana district attorney campaign

According to an October 2015 story in the Times-Picayune, it was reported that Soros contributed $256,000 to a Louisiana Super PAC, which bought ad time in support of "James E. Stewart, a Democratic candidate and former judge in a six-way race for district attorney in Caddo Parish in north Louisiana."

Ballot measure activity

Note: Ballotpedia tracked George Soros as a ballot measures influencer through 2016. You can send information about this influencer’s current involvement with ballot measures to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Local measures

The Open Society Policy Center (OSPC), which is partly supported by Soros, contributed at least $200,000 in support of San Diego's Measure K, which proposed to amend charter law to require the top-two candidates for mayor, city attorney, or council member during the primary election to face off during the November general election, even if one candidate achieved a majority during the primary election. The main opposition to the measure came from the GOP Lincoln Club and the San Diego chamber of commerce’s PAC.

State measures

A 2000 profile in the Phoenix New Times said, "Business tycoons George Soros, John Sperling and Peter Lewis use the initiative process as their own private laboratory, funding campaigns around the country -- including Arizona's two medical marijuana initiatives -- to the tune of millions." Soros has been active with regard to ballot initiatives, especially in the area of marijuana legalization. In 2010, he wrote the following article for the Wall Street Journal in clear support of marijuana legalization:

“

Regulating and taxing marijuana would simultaneously save taxpayers billions of dollars in enforcement and incarceration costs, while providing many billions of dollars in revenue annually. It also would reduce the crime, violence and corruption associated with drug markets, and the violations of civil liberties and human rights that occur when large numbers of otherwise law-abiding citizens are subject to arrest. Police could focus on serious crime instead. The racial inequities that are part and parcel of marijuana enforcement policies cannot be ignored. African-Americans are no more likely than other Americans to use marijuana but they are three, five or even 10 times more likely—depending on the city—to be arrested for possessing marijuana. I agree with Alice Huffman, president of the California NAACP, when she says that being caught up in the criminal justice system does more harm to young people than marijuana itself. Giving millions of young Americans a permanent drug arrest record that may follow them for life serves no one’s interests.

”

According to a 2014 Washington Times article, "Through a network of nonprofit groups, Mr. Soros has spent at least $80 million on the legalization effort since 1994, when he diverted a portion of his foundation’s funds to organizations exploring alternative drug policies, according to tax filings." The Washington Times stated that Soros made his contributions through Drug Policy Alliance, a group he supports with about $4 million annually through his Open Society Foundations, and that he also supports the drug's legalization through donations to the American Civil Liberties Union and the Marijuana Policy Project.

Overview of ballot measure support and opposition

The following table details Soros' ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:

Ballot measure support and opposition for George Soros
Ballot measure	Year	Position	Result
California Proposition 64, Marijuana Legalization (2016)	2016	Supported	aApproved
San Diego, California, November Run-off Election, Measure K (November 2016)	2016	Supported	a Approved
Florida Right to Medical Marijuana Initiative, Amendment 2 (2014)	2014	Supported	d Defeated
Colorado Marijuana Legalization Initiative, Amendment 64 (2012)	2012	Supported	a Approved
Washington Marijuana Legalization and Regulation, Initiative 502 (2012)	2012	Supported	a Approved
California Proposition 27, Elimination of Citizens Redistricting Commission Initiative (2010)	2010	Supported	d Defeated
California Proposition 19, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2010)	2010	Supported	Did not make ballot
California Proposition 5 (2008)	2008	Supported	d Defeated
Massachusetts Sensible Marijuana Policy Initiative (2008)	2008	Supported	a Approved
California Proposition 82 (2006)	2006	Supported	d Defeated
Ohio Minimum Wage Initiative (2006)	2006	Supported	a Approved
Ohio Issue 4 (2005)	2005	Supported	d Defeated
California Proposition 66 (2004)	2004	Supported	d Defeated
California Proposition 36 (2000)	2000	Supported	a Approved
Utah Initiative B (2000)	2000	Supported	a Approved

More on George Soros

Biography and financial career

Political, social, and economic philosophy

Foundations, think tanks, and organizations

Political activity

Lobbying