Melinda French Gates says she made a 'substantial' donation to the Harris-Walz campaign

• Melinda French Gates said she made a "substantial" donation to Harris' campaign.
• A philanthropist worth nearly $11 billion, French Gates has also offered to host events.
• She made her first presidential endorsement this year after generally avoiding partisan topics.

After making her first-ever presidential endorsement this spring , billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates said she made a "substantial" donation to Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign, Vanity Fair reported .

When French Gates was still a part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , which she cofounded with her ex-husband Bill Gates, she generally avoided wading into partisan causes. She has given money to Republicans and Democrats alike, but determined that a second term with former President Donald Trump "would be dangerous" for reproductive rights in particular.

In fact, French-Gates, who focuses in large part on women's and reproductive rights, referenced abortion when she endorsed Harris in a post on X. In May, she committed to spending $1 billion through 2026 to groups working for women, families, and reproductive rights.

French-Gates, who is worth nearly $11 billion, did not specify how much she had donated to the Harris-Walz campaign. But her support extends beyond a a direct financial contribution — French-Gates said that she has also offered to host events.

The vice president and French Gates have met on multiple occasions, even sitting together at a state dinner. French Gates described them as "like-minded on many issues."

As mega donors continue to funnel money into the election, much has been made of Silicon Valley's perceived rightward shift . French Gates, however, isn't so sure that the Bay Area is actually going red .

"I'm not sure that's right," she said when asked about the shift to the right, adding that the Valley is "actually quite split Democrat and Republican."