A Republican candidate for state Attorney General is dropping out of the race. UW-Madison law school professor Ryan Owens released a statement on Monday, in which he said that “wrongheaded and false claims” have taken a toll on his family.
My family has always, and will always, come first.
To the countless people who put their trust in me, worked hard on my campaign’s behalf, and propelled us to historic success I simply want to say, thank you.
— Ryan Owens (@OwensForWI) October 4, 2021
Owens’ decision to leave the race follows reports regarding podcasts that he hosted as director of UW-Madison’s Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership. Four episodes were found to have been removed from the web.
Owens’ departure leaves Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney to face Democratic incumbent AG Josh Kaul in 2022.