Bill Berien, a businessman from Wisconsin and a supporter of President Donald Trump, announced the end of his campaign for governor on Friday.
Berien, a former Navy SEAL, was one of three key Republican candidates. In a detailed statement, he mentioned that “Hunting Bosnian war criminals seems almost unsafe.” He ultimately decided he couldn’t secure a win in the Republican primary.
“I’ve made the choice to step back, considering what’s best for the party, voters, donors, and my family,” he remarked.
With Berien’s exit, the remaining candidates are Rep. Tom Tiffany and Washington County Executive Josh Scheman, who entered the race on Tuesday. Meanwhile, numerous Democrats are also vying for the position, with the primary scheduled for August.
Berien has an account on Medium and follows various authors, including non-binary porn performer Jiz Lee. His online interests seem to indulge in topics surrounding sexual exploration and relationships.
Lee criticized Berien on Thursday, calling him a hypocrite, especially since a number of prominent Republicans had urged him to withdraw.
Scheman, when responding to Berien’s departure, didn’t mention the social media controversy. Instead, he acknowledged Berien’s service as a candidate. Tiffany did not provide any comments immediately.
Wisconsin Democratic spokesperson Phil Shulman focused on past criticisms of Trump instead of Berien’s online activities in his remarks.
Many conservatives had raised concerns about the viability of Berien’s campaign, opting instead to support former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley for the upcoming presidential primary. They expressed uncertainty about their support for Trump back in August 2020.
“Bill Berien is a lesson for all GOP candidates. If you’re not fully loyal to Trump, you might want to rethink your campaign,” Schulman stated. His struggles highlight that GOP candidates need to secure nominations despite their efforts to align with Trump.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was the first to report on Berien’s online presence earlier this week. He defended himself against accusations of focusing on “silly articles I read years ago” in an interview with the Associated Press.
As he stepped away from the race, he remarked on how the articles he read were being misconstrued, describing the situation as a “shameful picture” aimed at pushing him out of the gubernatorial race.
“And for what? For reading!” Berien exclaimed. “There’s nothing illegal or immoral about being informed. Shouldn’t political leaders be well-read and aware of varied perspectives?”
Berien, who leads Pindel Global Precision and promoted “family values” during his campaign, had been critical of the transgender community shortly after launching his candidacy. He withdrew from the race less than three months after starting.
This election cycle marks the first governor’s race in Battleground Wisconsin since 2010, with Democrat Tony Evers aiming for a third term.
The top Democratic candidates include Lt. Col. Sarah Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, State Sen. Kelda Roy, and state legislator Francesca Hong. Others in the mix are Attorney General Josh Cowl, former Lt. Col. Mandela Burns, and former state economic development director Missy Hughes.
