Democrat Donors Funding $50 Million Republicans Against Trump Campaign

LinkedIn Chairman Reid Hoffman at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco, Calif. on March 30, 2011. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Some of the biggest Democratic Party donors are funding a group calling itself Republican Voters Against Trump.

On March 12, the Republican Accountability PAC announced it was launching a $50 million campaign in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

“The campaign features one- and two-time Trump voters from across the country—including swing states—who walked away due to January 6, his 91 felony counts, Ukraine, and other issues,” a release from Republican Voters Against Trump said. “Their voices will be elevated using a surround-sound approach, deploying ads on television, streaming, radio, billboards, and digital media in critical swing states.”

According to financial records filed with the Federal Election Commission, the super PAC is currently financed almost entirely by Democratic Party donors.

The PAC, which reports quarterly, was registered in February 2022. When it last reported with the FEC at the end of January, the PAC said it had raised about $8.2 million in 2023 and retained about $6.3 million on hand at the end of that year.

Representatives of Republican Voters Against Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump addresses a campaign rally at the Forum River Center in Rome, Ga., on March 9, 2024. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Reid Hoffman

The group’s largest donor in 2023 was Reid Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman, who founded social media company LinkedIn Corp., gave $4 million to the group.

Mr. Hoffman, currently a partner at venture capital firm Greylock Partners and a member of Microsoft Corp.’s Board of Directors, is worth an estimated $2.5 billion, according to Forbes.

Mr. Hoffman is a consistent donor to the Democratic Party and liberal causes, and he’s regularly given gifts of more than $1 million, according to donor records maintained by watchdog group OpenSecrets.

In 2018, he gave a total of $5 million to the Democrat-supporting House Majority PAC and Senate Majority PAC. He also donated to those organizations in 2021, $1.45 million to House Majority PAC; in 2020, $1 million to Senate Majority PAC; and in 2019, $1 million to Senate Majority PAC.

In 2023, he gave $2 million to the Wisconsin Democratic Party.

Mr. Hoffman also gave $3.35 million to the Republican Accountability PAC in 2022. In that midterm election year, the group spent heavily against Republican Party candidates for national office.

Representatives of Mr. Hoffman did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.

William Kristol at the National Press Club in Washington on Oct. 3, 2011. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Defending Democracy Together

Defending Democracy Together, a group led by conservative commentator William Kristol, gave $2 million to the Republican Accountability PAC in December 2023.

William Kristol is a co-founder of the news organization Bulwark Media and a longtime critic of former President Donald Trump. Republican Accountability PAC President Sarah Longwell is a co-founder of the company as well.

Mr. Kristol is the director of two nonprofit groups: the 501(c)(4) group Defending Democracy Together and the 501(c)(3) organization Defending Democracy Together Institute. As a nonprofit, it is difficult to track who funds the group and how it spends its money.

Representatives of Defending Democracy Together did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.

John Pritzker

John Pritzker, a member of the wealthy Chicago-based Pritzker family, is the Founding Partner and Director of the private equity firm Geolo Capital. The Pritzker family, according to Forbes, is worth an estimated $41.6 billion. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, is his cousin.

John Pritzker gave $1 million to the Republican Accountability PAC in 2023. He also gave the group $1 million in 2022.

John Pritzker is not a major donor, but he has given to Democratic Party causes and candidates in the past. In 2020, he gave $1.5 million to LMG PAC, also known as Hold Them Accountable, which spent heavily against Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), according to OpenSecrets records.

Representatives of John Pritzker did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.

Seth Klarman

Seth Klarman, the CEO and Portfolio Manager at hedge fund The Baupost Group LLC, gave $1 million to the Republican Accountability PAC in May 2023.

Mr. Klarman, according to Forbes, is worth $1.3 billion. He’s a consistent Democratic Party donor who regularly gives gifts of more than $1 million to Democratic Party causes and PACs.

According to OpenSecrets donor records, Mr. Klarman has given a combined $5 million to the House Majority PAC and Senate Majority PAC between 2018 and 2022. He donated small amounts to numerous Democratic Party candidates in 2023.

Mr. Klarman gave $1.7 million to the Republican Accountability PAC in 2022, according to FEC records.

Representatives of Mr. Klarman did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.