MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin businessman Bill Berrien, a supporter of President Donald Trump, ended his Republican campaign for governor on Friday, days after it was reported that he followed numerous sexually explicit accounts online, including a nonbinary pornography performer.
Berrien, a former Navy SEAL and one of three announced prominent Republican candidates, issued a lengthy statement saying “I had no idea that running for political office could be almost as dangerous” as “hunting down war criminals is Bosnia.” Berrien said he concluded he could not win the Republican primary.
“Looking towards what is in the best interest of the party, voters, donors, and my family, I have decided to end my campaign,” he said.
Berrien’s departure leaves U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who got into the race on Tuesday, and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann as the only Republican candidates. There are numerous Democrats running. The primary is in August.
Berrien has an account on the online platform Medium.com where he followed nonbinary porn performer Jiz Lee and several other authors of sexually explicit essays. He also followed “publications,” which are similar to blogs, that dealt with exploring sexuality, including having relationships with multiple partners.
Lee issued a statement Thursday calling Berrien a hypocrite. Several prominent Republicans had been calling for him to drop out of the race.
Schoemann did not address Berrien’s social media habits in a statement reacting to him withdrawing from the race. Instead, Schoemann said he appreciated his willingness to serve his country as a candidate. Tiffany did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Wisconsin Democratic Party spokesperson Phil Shulman blamed Berrien’s departure not on his social media activity but his past criticism of Trump.
Conservatives had questioned the viability of Berrien’s candidacy because he had supported former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley in the 2024 presidential primary and said in August 2020 that he hadn’t decided whether to support Trump.
“Bill Berrien is a lesson for all GOP candidates: if you don’t show complete and total loyalty to Trump–past or present–then you better pack your bags and head for the door,” Shulman said in a statement. His failure, despite his resume, financial investment, and doing somersaults to earn Trump’s love, shows just how far the other GOP candidates are going to have to go to win the nomination.”
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported on his online activity on Monday. Berrien defended his actions to The Associated Press on Tuesday, saying the media was focusing on “stupid articles I read years ago.”
He was even more forceful in his statement dropping out of the race, describing the articles he read and people he followed as “cherry-picked.” He said it “painted a salacious and sensational picture that was clearly targeted to force me out of this governor race. It was a major attack piece.”
“And for what? For reading!” Berrien said. “Nothing illegal, nothing unethical, and nothing immoral. Just reading. Wouldn’t you want your political and business leaders (and all of society, frankly) to be widely read and thoughtful and aware of different perspectives and ideas?”
Berrien, the CEO of Pindel Global Precision, ran as a supporter of “family values.” He had been critical of transgender people in the opening weeks of his candidacy.
The governor’s race in battleground Wisconsin is open for the first time since 2010. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers decided against seeking a third term.
The most prominent Democratic candidates are Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez; Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley; state Sen. Kelda Roys; and state Rep. Francesca Hong. Others considering getting in include Attorney General Josh Kaul, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and former state economic development director Missy Hughes.
