Patagonia Endorses Pair of Political Candidates
Patagonia is taking a political stand. The outdoor goods and apparel store threw its weight behind two Democratic candidates: Jacky Rosen, who is running for Senate in Nevada, and Senator Jon Tester who is running for re-election in Montana. It's the first time Patagonia has made political endorsements. In a statement on Friday, the company said it is making the move "because of the urgent and unprecedented threats to our public lands and waters." The two candidates will help protect natural resources in Nevada and Montana, the company said. Environmentalism is a core part of Patagonia's mission.
Total Retail's Take: It's unusual to see publicly traded companies endorse political candidates, but in the case of Patagonia it's not all that surprising. The brand has long made known its commitment to environmental sustainability, and has been vocal in its criticism of President Trump's environmental policies. While brands tend to stay away from endorsing individual candidates publicly, even though many are donating behind closed doors, Patagonia likely doesn't have as much at stake by coming out publicly for two Democratic candidates given its history in this arena. Given the partisan political climate in which we now live, it will be interesting to see if other brands follow suit, and that includes candidates from either party.
