Heiress Abigail Disney has announced that she will resume her financial support for the Democratic Party now that President Joe Biden has officially withdrawn from the 2024 presidential race.
Earlier this month, Disney, whose grandfather co-founded The Walt Disney Company, stated that she would halt donations to the party until Biden stepped aside. In an email to CNBC on Monday, she confirmed her decision to re-engage with the party, saying, “Yes, I will resume supporting,” now that Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor.
When she initially declared her intention to withhold contributions, Disney expressed her backing for Harris, emphasizing the Vice President’s qualifications. “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,” she remarked.
Disney was among a group of prominent Democratic donors who expressed discontent with Biden, particularly after what was viewed as a poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump. Reports suggest that pressure from influential donors and a decline in financial contributions played a role in Biden’s decision to exit the race.
Additionally, financier George Soros and his son, Alex Soros, have also voiced their support for Harris following Biden’s announcement.