Abigail Disney, an heiress and granddaughter of one of the co-founders of The Walt Disney Company, announced she will resume her donations to the Democratic Party following President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. Disney had previously stated she would halt her contributions until a new candidate was chosen, expressing her support for Vice President Kamala Harris as the better option.
In an email to CNBC, Disney confirmed her renewed support, stating, “Yes, I will resume supporting,” now that Biden has officially stepped aside and endorsed Harris as his successor. When she initially announced her decision to withhold donations, Disney expressed faith in Harris’s capabilities and criticized the party for not rallying around her.
Disney noted, “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.”
Her previous stance was reflective of a broader dissatisfaction among elite Democratic donors following Biden’s poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump. Reports suggest that pressure from influential donors and dwindling campaign funds contributed to Biden’s decision to withdraw. Notably, major Democratic funders like George Soros and his son, Alex Soros, have also expressed their endorsement for Harris after Biden’s exit from the race.