Joel Kitchens

Last updated

Joel C. Kitchens
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 6, 2015

Joel C. Kitchens (born September 20, 1957) is an American veterinarian and Republican politician from Door County, Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly representing the 1st Assembly district since 2015.

Contents

Early life and career

Born in Washington, D.C., to Thomas W. Kitchens Jr. and Fleurette Kitchens, Kitchens moved around frequently as his father served in various positions with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. [1] Kitchens received his bachelor's degree and doctor of veterinary medicine degrees from Ohio State University. He moved to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and began a veterinarian practice there in 1984.

State Assembly

He was elected to the Sturgeon Bay School District Board of Education in 1999, eventually becoming its President . [2] [3] On November 4, 2014, Kitchens was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican. [4]

Remarks on abortion

In January 2024, Kitchens received worldwide attention after stating, during an Assembly debate on abortion, that as a veterinarian he was probably the most expert person in the room on female pregnancies. "The question is whether abortion is health care and if you believe that a fetus is a human life, then abortion is not health care," he said. "In my veterinary career, I did thousands of ultrasounds on animals... I think I know mammalian fetal development better than anyone here. And in my mind, there’s absolutely no question that’s a life." [5] [6]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (2014–present)

YearElectionDateElectedDefeatedTotalPlurality
2014 Primary [7] Aug. 12Joel C. Kitchens Republican 2,93543.98%Paul M. Feit Rep. 1,84127.58%6,6741,094
Terry McNulty Rep. 1,28119.19%
Brian Hackbarth Rep. 6169.23%
General [8] Nov. 4Joel C. Kitchens Republican 16,07256.70%Joe Majeski Dem. 12,25643.24%28,3453,816
2016 General [9] Nov. 8Joel Kitchens (inc) Republican 20,04460.11%Lynn Utesch Dem. 13,28939.85%33,3476,755
2018 General [10] Nov. 6Joel C. Kitchens (inc) Republican 20,65168.38%Roberta Thelen Ind. 9,51931.52%30,20211,132
2020 General [11] Nov. 3Joel Kitchens (inc) Republican 23,44161.82%Kim Delorit Jensen Dem. 14,46238.14%37,9202,007
2022 Primary [12] Aug. 9Joel Kitchens (inc) Republican 6,89377.49%Milt Swagel Rep. 1,99222.39%8,8954,901
General [13] Nov. 8Joel Kitchens (inc) Republican 19,86462.45%Roberta Thelen Dem. 11,91637.46%31,8067,948
2024 Primary [14] Aug. 13Joel Kitchens (inc) Republican 7,85877.15%Milt Swagel Rep. 2,31922.76%10,1865,539
General [15] Nov. 5Joel Kitchens (inc) Republican 24,10161.91%Renee Paplham Dem. 14,80138.02%38,9299,300
Milt Swagel (write-in) Ind. 50.01%

References

  1. ↑ "Thomas W. Kitchens Jr. obituary". The Cincinnati Enquirer (cincinnati.com). December 13, 2011. Retrieved on April 18, 2022.
  2. ↑ "About Joel" . Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Wisconsin Vote.org.-Joel C. Kitchens". Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Currents Election Results". Archived from the original on September 1, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  5. ↑ Gallagher, Kayla. "GOP State Rep Argues Abortion Isn't Health Care, Says He Knows 'Better' Than Others Because He Was a Veterinarian". Microsoft Start. msn.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  6. ↑ McHardy, Martha. "Republican lawmaker claims he's 'qualified' to ban abortion – because he's a vet: 'Misogyny in action ― women, animals, it's all the same,' one person tweeted in response to remarks by Joel Kitchens". Independent.tv. The Independent. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  7. ↑ Canvass Results for 2014 Fall Partisan Primary - 8/12/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 29, 2014. p. 15. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  8. ↑ Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 26, 2014. p. 9. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  9. ↑ Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. December 22, 2016. p. 9. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  10. ↑ Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. February 22, 2019. p. 10. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  11. ↑ Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 7. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  12. ↑ Canvass Results for 2022 Partisan Primary - 8/9/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 26, 2022. p. 9. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  13. ↑ Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. p. 9. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  14. ↑ County by County Report - 2024 Partisan Primary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 26, 2024. p. 100. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  15. ↑ County by County Report - 2024 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 27, 2024. p. 1. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
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