Abigail Disney, the heiress and granddaughter of one of the co-founders of The Walt Disney Company, has announced that she will resume her financial contributions to the Democratic Party now that President Joe Biden has exited the presidential race.
Earlier this month, Disney had declared she would cease her donations to the party until a new candidate replaced Biden at the top of the ticket. However, in an email to CNBC on Monday, she confirmed her renewed support, stating, “Yes, I will resume supporting,” following Biden’s retirement and his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.
When she initially decided to withhold her contributions, Disney expressed her backing for Harris, emphasizing the vice president’s capabilities. She pointed out that if the Democratic Party could overlook Harris’s perceived shortcomings as much as they have Biden’s—highlighting issues of race and gender disparity—then they could secure a decisive victory in the upcoming election.
Disney was among several prominent Democratic donors who expressed dissatisfaction with Biden after his poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump, contributing to the pressure that may have influenced Biden’s choice to withdraw from the race. Following Biden’s announcement, notable donors like George Soros and his son Alex Soros also voiced their support for Harris.