Heiress Abigail Disney has announced that she will resume her contributions to the Democratic Party now that President Joe Biden has withdrawn from the 2024 presidential race.
Earlier this month, Disney, whose grandfather was a co-founder of The Walt Disney Company, indicated she would halt her donations until Biden was replaced on the ticket. In an email to CNBC, she confirmed her decision to support the party again, stating, “Yes, I will resume supporting,” following Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.
When she initially expressed her intention to withhold funds, Disney also voiced her support for Harris. 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 was among a group of prominent Democratic donors who criticized Biden after what was seen as a poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump. Reports suggest that the pressure from the donor class and a decline in funds contributed to Biden’s decision to step down. Following Biden’s exit from the race, notable figures such as George Soros and his son, Alex Soros, also expressed their support for Harris.