Republican Bill Berrien drops out of race for governor after reports he followed explicit accounts

MADISON, Wis. (CIVIC MEDIA) – Republican Bill Berrien is ending his run for governor of Wisconsin after coverage of sexually explicit accounts he followed online.

The businessman and former Navy SEAL was the second Republican to announce they’d be running to replace Gov. Tony Evers. This is Wisconsin’s first gubernatorial election without an incumbent running in 16 years. 

Within the last week, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that Berrien was following explicit accounts online, including a transgender porn star. Berrien’s platform included banning transgender girls from girls’ sports, and he made it a key part of his campaign. 

In his statement announcing he was suspending his campaign, he criticized coverage of the accounts he followed. 

“I thought it was a strength to read very widely and show a broad intellectual interest. I listen to podcasts everyday [sic] on my way to work. I am constantly trying to take in new information, trying to learn something new,” the statement read in part. “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?”

That leaves two Republicans running to be the GOP’s gubernatorial nominee: Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (7th District).