(The Center Square) – Republican candidate Bill Berrien has dropped out of the race for governor in Wisconsin.
The Whitefish Bay businessman reportedLY canceled an event in Manitowoc this week after stories were published about him following a trans porn account on Medium.com.
That led Jiz Lee, who Berrien had followed, to write on social media “It’s okay to follow trans porn stars. It’s okay to read articles about sex and relationships. What’s not okay is the hypocrisy of backing forceful legislation that restricts what people, trans and otherwise, can do with their own bodies. That is shameful. “
Berrien sent a statement, saying ““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.”
Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany entered the race this week. He joined Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann on the Republican side while Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, recently joined Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, state Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley as the major Democratic candidates in the race, along with former Democrat State Rep. Brett Hulsey.
“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,” Berrien said. “I listen to podcasts every day 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.”
