Heiress Abigail Disney has announced that she will resume her donations to the Democratic Party following President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
Disney, a prominent figure whose grandfather co-founded The Walt Disney Company, had previously stated that she would halt any contributions until a new candidate replaced Biden at the top of the ticket. In an email to CNBC on Monday, she confirmed her return to supporting the party, stating, “Yes, I will resume supporting,” now that Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.
When Disney initially chose to withhold her donations, she expressed her backing for Harris, emphasizing the Vice President’s capabilities. 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 if Democrats can find a way to stop quibbling and rally around her, we can win this election by a lot.”
Disney’s dissatisfaction with Biden follows his poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump, which led several elite Democratic donors, including Disney, to pressure the party for a change in leadership. Reports suggest that this push from major donors contributed to Biden’s decision to drop out of the race. Following Biden’s exit, notable philanthropists like George Soros and his son Alex Soros have also endorsed Harris.