Abigail Disney, the heiress and granddaughter of a co-founder of The Walt Disney Company, announced her intention to resume donations to the Democratic Party now that President Joe Biden has chosen to step down from his reelection campaign.
Earlier this month, Disney had declared she would halt contributions to the party until a replacement for Biden was found. In an email to CNBC on Monday, she confirmed her renewed support, stating, “Yes, I will resume supporting,” now that Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.
When she initially decided to withhold her donations, Disney expressed her backing for Harris, highlighting the Vice President’s potential for success if the Democratic Party could unify behind her. “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,” she stated.
Disney was among numerous elite Democratic donors who expressed discontent with Biden following his poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump. Reports suggest that pressure from major donors and dwindling financial support contributed significantly to Biden’s decision to exit the race. Following Biden’s announcement, prominent donors like George Soros and his son, Alex Soros, also voiced their endorsement for Harris.