WASHINGTON (AP) — Outdoor clothing giant Patagonia has jumped into two competitive Senate races, endorsing Democrats Jon Tester of Montana and Jacky Rosen of Nevada in what the company calls its first foray into elective politics.
The company describes Tester and Rosen as champions of public lands and the outdoor industry. Tester is seeking a third term in the Senate while Rosen is a freshman House member who is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Dean Heller.
The move follows a lawsuit the California-based company filed last year challenging President Donald Trump's decision to drastically shrink Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. The company also sparred with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who accused Patagonia of lying claimed on its website that Trump "stole" public lands by shrinking Bears Ears and another monument in Utah.
