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 descendant of the co-founder of The Walt Disney Company, had previously stated her intention to halt contributions until Biden was replaced at the top of the ticket. In an email to CNBC on Monday, she confirmed her renewed support, stating, “Yes, I will resume supporting,” now that Biden has stepped aside and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.
When she first announced her withdrawal of donations, Disney expressed her support for Harris, asserting, “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 decision to withhold donations was part of a broader backlash from prominent Democratic donors against Biden, particularly after his underwhelming debate performance against former President Donald Trump. Reports suggest that this dissatisfaction among the donor class contributed to Biden’s decision to exit the race.
Other notable Democratic figures, including George Soros and his son, Alex Soros, also expressed their support for Harris following Biden’s withdrawal from the election.