Heiress Abigail Disney has announced that she will resume her donations to the Democratic Party now that President Joe Biden has officially withdrawn from the 2024 presidential race.
Earlier this month, Disney stated that she would halt her contributions to the party unless Biden stepped aside, expressing her frustration with his leadership. In an email to CNBC on Monday, she confirmed her decision to support the party again, stating, “Yes, I will resume supporting,” following Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor.
During her announcement to suspend donations, Disney expressed her backing for Harris, praising her capabilities as Vice President. She remarked, “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 was not alone in her discontent with Biden, as many elite donors within the Democratic Party expressed similar frustrations, especially after his lackluster debate performance against former President Donald Trump. Reports suggest that diminishing support from influential donors was a contributing factor to Biden’s decision to exit the race.
Following the news of Biden’s withdrawal, prominent figures like George Soros and his son, Alex Soros, also endorsed Harris, signaling a shift in support within the party.