Three months into the race for Wisconsin governor, Republican candidate Bill Berrien has dropped out, saying he "doesn't see a path forward" after reports Berrien followed "sexually explicit writers" online.
🚨GOP businessman Bill Berrien is dropping out of the race for governor
— Matt Smith (@mattsmith_news) September 26, 2025
It comes just days after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Berrien followed several sexually explicit writers online
Berrien tells me he doesn’t see a path forward pic.twitter.com/uFkHViXvSN
Here's more from the Wisconsin State Journal:
On Monday, the Journal Sentinel columnist Daniel Bice reported that 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.
Berrien stopped following the accounts of 23 people, including the most sexually explicit ones, after the Journal Sentinel asked about his history on the website, the newspaper reported. Berrien didn’t deny following the accounts when asked about them by Bice or a reporter from the Associated Press.
In his statement Friday, Berrien defended following the accounts, saying he considers himself to be “intellectually curious,” following thousands of people online and subscribing to hundreds of newsletters. He took issue with the Journal Sentinel “cherry picking” posts he viewed years ago.
In a statement released today, Berrien said,
After hunting down war criminals in Bosnia as a Navy SEAL Platoon Leader, I had no idea that running for political office could be almost as dangerous. Eleven weeks ago, I launched my campaign for Governor with a dream for making this The Wisconsin Century, starting this decade. Today, I choose to end it on my terms.
As I entered this race for Governor 11 weeks ago, I saw an amazing opportunity for us to turn our state around after six years of being stuck in the economic doldrums under Tony Evers’ leadership. Based on my experiences as a manufacturing leader, I saw the opportunity to make Wisconsin the manufacturing powerhouse to the world again (with wages doubling every ten years) and to make education (including a reinvigorated focus on the trades) and training both excellent and lifelong so workers could thrive in this new economy. I thought that by applying a business mindset to spending, budgeting, and cutting taxes, we could make Wisconsin a better place to build and grow businesses, attract investment, and allow families to prosper.
And yet, as my campaign was gaining traction and emboldened by that optimistic vision, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published this week two articles clearly targeted to force me out of the race. I consider myself very intellectually curious and, as a leader in business and hoped-for leader in politics, I thought it was a strength to read very widely and show a broad intellectual interest. I listen to podcasts everyday on my way to work. I am constantly trying to take in new information, trying to learn something new. I follow over 5,000 people across so many platforms. I subscribe to over 100 newsletters. And I have hit the ‘like’ button on perhaps 20,000 different articles or postings. Yet the media cherry-picked a handful of individuals and written articles that came across my feed that I then followed (without the faintest clue as to an author’s lifestyle choices!) 6 or 7 years ago and 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 we confirmed opposition research started in January of this year, if not earlier.
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Berrien added, "As a result of our politics today, I cannot focus on the issues I know will turn Wisconsin around. I have come to the conclusion I do not have a path to the nomination. Looking towards what is in the best interest of the party, voters, donors, and my family, I have decided to end my campaign."
He added, "Come on, Wisconsin. We can do better in our politics here. Let’s focus on the big ideas, the bright future that is so possible. Let’s get away from these personal and politically targeted attacks."
Berrien's departure from the race comes days after Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany announced he was entering the race and leaves Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann as the only other Republican vying for the governorship.
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