Abigail Disney, the heiress and granddaughter of a co-founder of The Walt Disney Company, announced that she will begin donating to the Democratic Party again now that President Joe Biden has stepped aside in his reelection bid. Earlier this month, she had stated that she would halt her contributions until the party replaced Biden as their nominee.
In an email to CNBC, Disney confirmed her decision to resume support, following Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency. At the time she halted donations, Disney expressed her backing for Harris, noting that the Democratic Party should rally around her leadership to secure a victory in the upcoming election.
Disney criticized the party for their unequal treatment of Harris compared to Biden, highlighting issues of race and gender. She pointed out that a lack of support from the party for Harris’ perceived weaknesses was contributing to their challenges ahead.
Disney was among several high-profile Democratic donors who expressed discontent with Biden after his poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump. Reports suggest that pressure from major donors and struggling fundraising efforts contributed to Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race. Following Biden’s announcement, noted donors like George Soros and his son Alex also threw their support behind Harris.