Abigail Disney, an heiress and granddaughter of a co-founder of The Walt Disney Company, has announced her intention to restart donations to the Democratic Party now that President Joe Biden has chosen to withdraw from the 2024 election and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor.
Earlier this month, Disney declared she would halt contributions until a new candidate was chosen to lead the party. In a recent email to CNBC, she confirmed her support would resume with Biden’s exit from the race.
Disney previously expressed strong backing for Harris, emphasizing the need for the Democratic Party to unite behind her. 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’s initial decision to withhold donations was fueled by dissatisfaction among elite Democratic donors following Biden’s underwhelming debate performance against Donald Trump. Reports suggest that pressure from key donors and a reduction in financial support contributed significantly to Biden’s decision to step aside.
Additionally, prominent figures such as George Soros and his son, Alex Soros, have also shown their endorsement for Harris following Biden’s announcement.