Contributions made directly to a specific candidate are called hard money and those made to parties and committees are called soft money. ... Most of such donations received by state party committees are then sent to the national party headquarters to spend as they please, including on political campaigns by candidates
If you read this, you should be able to tell the diffrence.
Explanation:
soft money: campaign money raised apart from federal regulation and can be given directly to one candidate. hard money: campaign money raised for a specific candidate in federal elections and spent according to federal laws and restrictions.
