Joy Goeben | |
|---|---|
 Goeben in 2022 | |
| Member of theWisconsin State Assembly from the5th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Steineke |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1972-10-16)October 16, 1972 (age 53) Green Bay, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Ben |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence | Hobart, Wisconsin |
| Education | University of Wisconsin–Green Bay (BS) Walden University (MS) |
| Website | Campaign website |
Joy L. Goeben (born October 16, 1972) is an American teacher, business owner, andRepublican politician fromBrown County, Wisconsin. She is a member of theWisconsin State Assembly, representingWisconsin's 5th Assembly district since January 2023.
Joy Goeben was born and raised inGreen Bay, Wisconsin.[1] She graduated fromGreen Bay East High School and then earned her bachelor's degree in education from theUniversity of Wisconsin–Green Bay, and completed her master's in education atWalden University.[2]
She then went to work as a teacher in theAshwaubenon, Wisconsin, public school system. Later, she opened the Joyful Hearts Family Childcare preschool center, which she operated for ten years. She also assists her husband in the management of their family business, Classic Carpet Cleaning.[2] She is a member of the board of Christ Alone Church Leadership, and has also been a member of the board of the non-profit Green Bay Area Christian Homeschoolers.[2][3]
In the summer of 2022,Wisconsin State Assembly incumbentJim Steineke resigned from office, leaving a vacancy in the5th Assembly district. Goeben decided to enter the race for the Republican nomination, and defeated two opponents in the August 2022 Republican primary.[4][5] She went on to win the Fall general election, receiving 60% of the vote.[6]
In October 2023, Goeben attended a rally for the anti-LGBT organization,Gays Against Groomers, which had about a dozen attendees and garnered attention for its hateful signage which falsely accused trans people and LGBT activists of "coordinated child abuse". Two other Republican Wisconsin state legislators, Reps.John Macco andNate Gustafson also attended the rally.[7]
Goeben and her husband, Ben, reside inHobart, Wisconsin. They have four children.[2]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican Primary, August 9, 2022[5] | |||||
| Republican | Joy Goeben | 3,153 | 53.70% | ||
| Republican | Tim Greenwood | 2,166 | 36.89% | ||
| Republican | Kraig Knaack | 548 | 9.33% | ||
| Scattering | 4 | 0.07% | |||
| Total votes | 5,871 | 100.0% | |||
| General Election, November 8, 2022[6] | |||||
| Republican | Joy Goeben | 15,280 | 59.83% | ||
| Democratic | Joseph Van Deurzen | 10,258 | 40.17% | ||
| Plurality | 5,022 | 19.66% | |||
| Total votes | 25,538 | 100.0% | -13.66% | ||
| Republicanhold | |||||
| Wisconsin State Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theWisconsin State Assemblyfrom the5th district January 3, 2023 – present | Incumbent |