Abigail Disney, an heiress and granddaughter of a co-founder of The Walt Disney Company, announced that she will resume her donations to the Democratic Party now that President Joe Biden has decided not to seek reelection. Earlier this month, Disney had declared that she would halt any contributions to the party until Biden was replaced as the top candidate.
In an email to CNBC on Monday, she confirmed her decision to support the party again, stating, “Yes, I will resume supporting,” following Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor. When she first announced her withdrawal of support, Disney had also expressed her backing for Harris.
Disney praised Harris, stating, “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 actions reflect a broader dissatisfaction among elite Democratic donors, many of whom expressed frustration with Biden’s performance, particularly following his debate with former President Donald Trump. Reports indicate that pressure from influential donors and a reduction in financial support contributed to Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race.
Following Biden’s announcement, prominent backers, including George Soros and his son Alex Soros, also publicly endorsed Harris.