Do Jeff Bezos's Donations Link Him to a Certain Political Party?

For numerous reasons, Jeff Bezos is the so-called "man-of-the-hour" these days when it comes to financial news. His stock is higher than ever and his company has helped keep the country afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Bezos is well on his way to becoming the world’s first trillionaire. 

As the 2020 U.S. presidential election approaches, many people wonder where Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos sits in terms of political affiliation. The answer may actually surprise some people. 

Jeff Bezos is a bit of an enigma when it comes to which side of the aisle he sits on. He has been an outspoken supporter of same-sex marriage. Traditionally, Bezos has taken a Democratic position. 

At the same time, Bezos has worked to block income tax on the super-wealthy, which is more of a Republican move. President Trump would likely approve of Bezos's stance on income tax even though they have been embroiled in a feud for some time now. 

Despite his position on these two divisive issues, Jeff Bezos has managed to maintain a fairly non-partisan stance in most other areas. He has donated to non-partisan initiatives like With Honor Action, but he has also donated money to Amazon's political action committee. Bezos has made donations to both the Democratic and Republican parties. 

Amazon investor Nick Hanauer once described Bezos as a libertarian. Libertarians are part of a political philosophy that upholds liberty as the core principle. Their goal is to maximize political freedom and autonomy. Libertarians value autonomy, individualism, freedom of choice, and voluntary association.

Bezos donated to the nonprofit organization that publishes Reason.com, which is a Libertarian magazine and website. He spent $100,000 in his fight to defeat the 2010 measure that would have imposed an income tax on wealthy earners. As a result, it makes sense that he would have Libertarian leanings.  

Although Jeff Bezos has given to both parties through Amazon and other charities, most of his donations have been made to Democratic candidates. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Democratic House and Senate contenders received $93,000 last year, while Republicans received $86,500. 

Two of Washington’s Democratic senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, have benefited from Bezos's donations. He has also given to Rep. John Conyers, Sen. Patrick Leahy, and Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.). All of these individuals served on either the House or Senate judiciary committees and weighed in on internet issues. 

Some people might argue that Bezos's donations amount to more libertarian ideals than democratic ones. Bezos may have simply been paying into his own fortune rather than supporting a specific political side.