Campaign Finance and Hard Money Definition

In the context of campaign finance, various laws and regulations govern how money can be raised and spent in political campaigns. One of the key components of campaign finance law is the difference between hard money and soft money. Hard money is typically regulated and comes from individuals or political action committees (PACs) and is subject to contribution limits. Soft money, on the other hand, refers to unregulated donations to parties and can be used for general party-building activities, not specifically for candidate support.

What is the primary characteristic of hard money in the context of U.S. campaign finance?