Melinda French Gates Calls on Women to Vote

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Melinda French Gates is urging women to exercise their right to vote by heading to the polls in November and hinted at a forthcoming presidential endorsement.

“Women turned out in the midterm elections and said, ‘This is enough,’” French Gates told CBS Mornings in an interview set to air on Tuesday. “And we’ve gotta do it again.”

Asked if she intends to endorse or campaign for a particular presidential candidate, French Gates said, “More than likely, yes.”

The philanthropist shared that she has previously voted for both Republicans and Democrats, but told CBS that she cannot support the presumptive GOP nominee over his stance on women’s reproductive decisions and comments about women that she says are offensive.

“I absolutely am not voting for Trump, and I will vote for Biden,” French Gates said.

Last month, French Gates pledged to donate $1 billion over the next two years to individuals and organizations working on behalf of women and families worldwide.

“Decades of research on economics, well-being and governance make it clear that investing in women and girls benefits everyone,” she wrote in a guest essay for The New York Times.

The Microsoft founder’s ex-wife also announced last month that she will step down as co-chair from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and committed to using the $12.5 billion she will receive from Gates to future work focused on women and families.

“After a difficult few years watching women’s rights rolled back in the U.S. and around the world, she wants to use this next chapter to focus specifically on altering that trajectory,” foundation CEO Mark Suzman said of French Gates in a statement to The Associated Press.