New Mexico governor to Nike after Arizona snub: ‘Let’s talk’

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) suggested shoe company Nike consider a deal with her state following backlash from Arizona’s Republican governor over the brand pulling a planned Revolutionary War-era flag sneaker design.

“Hey @Nike, let’s talk,” Grisham tweeted Tuesday, responding to a separate tweet from Arizona Gov. Dough Ducey (R) announcing he’d ask his state’s commerce authority to pull financial incentives for Nike.

Hey @Nike, let’s talk. https://t.co/ULqupXdVSj

— Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) July 2, 2019

Ducey announced the move following reports of the brand nixing a shoe design featuring the early flag composed by Betsy Ross for a July Fourth sneaker release. The flag features a circle with 13 stars for 13 colonies.{mosads}

The Wall Street Journal reported late Monday that Nike pulled the product after sending it to retailers due to criticism from NFL star Colin Kaepernick. 

“Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag,” a Nike spokeswoman told the Journal.

Kaepernick reportedly reached out to company officials saying he and others felt the flag was an offensive symbol due to its connection to an era of slavery. Kaepernick declined to comment to the newspaper for its report.

The Journal reported that the early flag has also been appropriated by some extremist groups opposed to increasing diversity.

Nike’s decision has sparked backlash from Republican lawmakers. 

Kaepernick has not played in the NFL the past two seasons but garnered attention for kneeling during the national anthem at games to protest police brutality. He was also the face of Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign released last year.

The company did not return The Hill’s request for comment on Tuesday.