Republican Lawmaker Joel Kleefisch Calls It Quits

Another Republican in the state Assembly has decided not to seek re-election.

Rep. Joel Kleefisch of Oconomowoc announced Monday he won’t run again. Kleefisch is married to Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, and he told reporters their daughters are 15 and 12 and have never known a parent who hasn’t worked in politics. He said “it’s time they have one parent without a target on their back.”

Kleefisch was first elected to the Assembly in 2004. He serves as chairman of the Assembly natural resources committee. He authored a law that allows hunters to wear blaze pink rather than traditional blaze orange.

Kleefisch becomes the ninth Republican Assembly incumbent to announce they won’t seek re-election. Three Democratic members also have announced they won’t run again.