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Nike co-founder and chairman emeritus Phil Knight has given the largest political contribution to an Oregon candidate in history—$1 million to the GOP candidate for governor, state Rep. Knute Buehler (R-Bend).
WW broke that news last week, just days after Nike, the source of Knight's estimated $25 billion fortune, itself made national news by reupping an endorsement deal with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick infuriated many, including President Donald Trump, by kneeling during the national anthem to publicize injustices against black people. He says that activism cost him his job—but it also won him top billing in Nike's new "Dream Crazy" ad campaign.
Investors initially punished Nike for wrapping the company's arms around Kaepernick, but online sales reportedly soared—a sign that young customers support sticking it to the Man (and Trump).
Knight remains a large Nike shareholder. He's also a Republican.
To complicate matters further, Nike as a corporation supports Buehler's opponent, Democratic incumbent Gov. Kate Brown. But a look at Nike's gifts show they pale in comparison to the total of $1.5 million Knight has now given Buehler.
