Joy Goeben
Joy L. Goeben is an American teacher, business owner, and Republican politician from Brown County, Wisconsin. She is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 5th Assembly district since January 2023.
Biography
Joy Goeben was born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin. She graduated from Green Bay East High School and then earned her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, and completed her master's in education at Walden University.She then went to work as a teacher in the Ashwaubenon, 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. 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.
Political career
In the summer of 2022, Wisconsin State Assembly incumbent Jim Steineke resigned from office, leaving a vacancy in the 5th Assembly district. Goeben decided to enter the race for the Republican nomination, and defeated two opponents in the August 2022 Republican primary. She defeated Democrat Joseph Van Deurzen in the general election.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 and Nate Gustafson also attended the rally.