Nike co-founder Phil Knight created a company that has turned into a behemoth. Few people around the planet are not familiar with the Nike Swoosh logo, and Knight’s one-time small athletic apparel company now has a market cap of $135.44 billion.
Nike has established itself as being all-in on woke culture, but Knight lives in a state where progressive Democrats rule, and he wants that to end because it’s costing him money.
Kate Brown is the current Governor of Oregon, and Democrat Tina Kotek hopes to replace her. Many Oregonians are scared of that scenario, including Knight, and he’s written a $1 million check for Republican Christine Drazan’s campaign.
Oregon is not a place where Republicans have much luck in politics. A Republican being elected there is about as likely as sunscreen selling out of a Portland CVS in February, but next month’s election looks close. Drazan and Kotek are running neck and neck, with some polls saying the GOP candidate has a 1-point lead.
Knight’s seven-figure donation to Drazan is a flip-flop for the billionaire. He had previously supported Betsy Johnson, an independent running for the top job, and Knight donated $3.6 million to her campaign earlier.
The fact that Knight took out his checkbook on this election and supported a Republican does not necessarily mean he’s changed parties, but more of a sign that he desperately wants the Democrat running not to win.
Here’s what strategist Rebecca Tweed told a Portland tv station.
“It’s not really $1 million toward Drazan or $3.75 towards Betsy. It’s $4.75 (million) against Tina Kotek.”
Add comment