Abigail Disney, the heiress and granddaughter of one of the co-founders of The Walt Disney Company, announced that she will resume her donations to the Democratic Party now that President Joe Biden has officially withdrawn from the reelection race.
Earlier this month, Disney declared that she would suspend contributions to the party until a new candidate replaced Biden at the top of the ticket. Following Biden’s decision to step down and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor, she confirmed in an email to CNBC that she would begin supporting the party again.
Disney had previously voiced her support for Harris, emphasizing the Vice President’s capabilities. She stated, “We have an excellent Vice President,” and criticized the Democratic Party for not supporting Harris as much as they tolerated Biden, suggesting that issues of race and gender play a role in this disparity. She urged the party to unite around Harris to secure a significant victory in the upcoming election.
Her decision to withhold donations stemmed from dissatisfaction with Biden’s performance, particularly following a poor debate against former President Donald Trump. Reports indicate that pressure from major Democratic donors, including Disney, contributed to Biden’s decision to exit the race. Following Biden’s announcement, notable donors like George Soros and his son Alex Soros also endorsed Harris.