69����

Berrien, in a statement to The Associated Press, downplayed any concerns about his online activity.

“There are a lot of important issues that are affecting our state and nation,” he said in the statement, “but 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.”

In a post on X on Monday, Berrien derided the Journal Sentinel story as “garbage political hits.” 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 “our daughters’ sports teams and locker rooms are at risk because of radical social experimentation.”

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 have 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.

“Is this the best they can do?” Berrien posted on X. “Just 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’t slow President Trump down, and the Democrats and the media’s latest attempts to keep me out of this fight won’t work either.”

Schoemann, the only other announced Republican candidate in the governor’s race, declined to comment.

The Wisconsin Democratic Party also declined to comment.