FILE - Republican businessman Bill Berrien, shown in this photo taken in 2018, launched his bid for governor on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Bill Berrien via AP, File)
Trump backer running for Wisconsin governor followed sexually explicit accounts online
MADISON, Wis. (AP) 鈥 A Republican manufacturer running for governor in Wisconsin as a conservative supporter of 鈥渇amily values鈥 and President Donald Trump followed numerous sexually explicit accounts online, including a nonbinary pornography performer.
FILE - Republican businessman Bill Berrien, shown in this photo taken in 2018, launched his bid for governor on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Bill Berrien via AP, File)
MADISON, Wis. (AP) 鈥 A Republican manufacturer running for governor in Wisconsin as a conservative supporter of 鈥渇amily values鈥 and President Donald Trump followed numerous sexually explicit accounts online, including a nonbinary pornography performer.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Monday that , the CEO of Pindel Global Precision and one of two announced 2026 Republican candidates for governor, unfollowed several accounts in recent days after the newspaper asked about the matter.
Berrien, in a statement to The Associated Press, downplayed any concerns about his online activity.
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鈥淭here are a lot of important issues that are affecting our state and nation,” he said in the statement, 鈥渂ut what is the mainstream media focused on right now? Some stupid articles I read years ago, not the plans I have to reindustrialize our state, turn the economy around, and bring prosperity for all through work.鈥
In a post on X on Monday, Berrien derided the Journal Sentinel story as 鈥済arbage political hits.鈥 He did not refute anything written in the story in his comments to the AP or in his post on X.
Berrien, 56, is a political newcomer running his first race for Wisconsin’s . , the Washington County executive, is the other Republican in the race. The GOP primary is 11 months away. Numerous Democrats have also announced they are running in an attempt to succeed Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who is not seeking a third term.
Berrien has been critical of transgender people in the opening weeks of his candidacy. On his , he says 鈥渙ur daughters鈥 sports teams and locker rooms are at risk because of radical social experimentation.鈥
But the Journal Sentinel reported that Berrien on the online platform 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.
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鈥淚s this the best they can do?鈥 Berrien posted on X. 鈥淛ust days after I promised to stand with President Trump to protect our state, stop the woke indoctrination, and keep boys out of girls sports, they came after me with the same failed attacks they tried with President Trump. Garbage political hits didn鈥檛 slow President Trump down, and the Democrats and the media鈥檚 latest attempts to keep me out of this fight won鈥檛 work either.鈥
Schoemann, the only other announced Republican candidate in the governor’s race, declined to comment.
The Wisconsin Democratic Party also declined to comment.
