Joel Kleefisch

Joel M. Kleefisch (born June 8, 1971) is an American politician and a former television reporter.He served fourteen years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing parts of Waukesha, Jefferson, and eastern Dane counties. His wife, Rebecca Kleefisch, is the former Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin.

Born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Kleefisch graduated from Waukesha North High School in 1989. He attended Pepperdine University and received a B.A. in 1993.

Kleefisch worked as a news researcher for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles during the summer of 1992. Upon graduation from Pepperdine he worked as a reporter for WREX-TV in Rockford, Illinois from 1993 to 1994. Kleefisch then was hired by WISN-TV as an assignment desk person and part-time reporter in 1994 before becoming a full-time general assignment reporter, where he worked until entering politics. As a reporter at WISN-TV, he appeared on CNN to discuss the trial of Mark Chmura. He won an award for "Best investigative report or series" from the Milwaukee Press Club in 1999 for a piece about date rape drugs. Rebecca was also a reporter and anchor for WISN and the two would marry in 1999 shortly after she moved to that station from Rockford, Illinois. The couple now have two children.

Kleefisch was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2004, and was re-elected in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016. He represented Oconomowoc and surrounding areas of western Waukesha County, northern Jefferson County, and eastern Dane County. In 2009 he co-sponsored legislation to increase the penalties in Wisconsin for driving under the influence.

Kleefisch did not seek re-election in 2018 and left office at the end of the 2018 session and was succeeded by Barbara Dittrich.