SALEM, Ore. — Nike Inc. co-founder Phil Knight is giving $250,000 to Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber’s re-election bid.
Kitzhaber’s campaign reported the contribution to the secretary of state’s office on Tuesday.
Four years ago, Knight gave $400,000 to Kitzhaber’s Republican rival, Chris Dudley.
Since then, Kitzhaber has been an enthusiastic supporter of Knight’s requests from the Oregon Legislature.
The governor called lawmakers into special session in 2012 to approve a tax measure that Nike demanded in exchange for expanding its Oregon headquarters.
The governor also supported an independent governing board for the University of Oregon, a Knight priority, and $200 million for cancer research facilities to help Oregon Health & Science University reach a fundraising target set by Knight.
