(Bloomberg) -- Billionaire George Soros gave $1 million to Stacey Abrams’s leadership political action committee in March, weeks before a judge ruled that the candidate for governor had to stop using those funds until after Georgia’s primary election on May 24.

Soros’s Democracy PAC II donated to Abrams’s One Georgia on March 11, according to a filing with the Federal Election Commission. One Georgia has yet to file a campaign disclosure with the state. 

Georgia leadership PACs, created by legislation last year, can accept unlimited amounts from individual donors, evading state campaign contribution limits. Incumbent Governor Brian Kemp has raised $4.7 million though his leadership PAC, Georgians First, and has spent all but $673,625 of it, state campaign records show.

Abrams created One Georgia after the end of the state’s candidate qualifying period on March 11, and had argued that she could use it because she was the only Democrat to run for governor, making her the party’s de facto nominee. 

A federal judge rejected Abrams’s argument in April, saying that she was not her party’s nominee until after the primary. One Georgia then successfully sued to stop Kemp from using his leadership committee until the primary as well. Kemp had already been ordered not to use the PAC to campaign against GOP challenger David Perdue.

The Soros outlay dwarfs any single contribution made to Georgians First. According to state records, the largest single donation to Georgians First was $150,000, although several donors gave $100,000.

Kemp and Abrams are running in a tight fundraising race, while Perdue, who was recruited and endorsed by former President Donald Trump, is far behind.

Kemp has raised $22.4 million, spent $11.7 million and has $10.7 million on hand; Abrams has received $21 million, spent $12.8 million and has a balance of $8 million; and Perdue has raised $3.5 million, spent $2.6 million and has $898,319 left, state records show.

 

 

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