Abigail Disney, an 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 exited the 2024 presidential race. Earlier this month, Disney had stated that she would halt contributions to the party until a change was made at the top of the ticket.
In a recent email to CNBC, she confirmed her decision, stating, “Yes, I will resume supporting,” following Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency. When she initially decided to stop her donations, Disney expressed her support for Harris, emphasizing her belief in the Vice President’s capabilities.
“We have an excellent Vice President. If Democrats would tolerate any of her perceived shortcomings even one-tenth as much as they have tolerated Biden’s (and let’s not kid ourselves about where race and gender figure in that inequity) and if Democrats can find a way to stop quibbling and rally around her, we can win this election by a lot,” Disney remarked.
Disney represents a faction of elite Democratic donors who have expressed discontent with Biden, particularly after his underwhelming debate performance against former President Donald Trump. Reports suggest that pressure from prominent donors and a decline in financial support may have influenced Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race. Following Biden’s announcement, notable figures such as George Soros and his son, Alex Soros, also offered their endorsement to Harris.