Wisconsin state Assembly District 1 represents all of Door and Kewaunee counties and parts of Brown County. Governor Tony Evers signed a bill to adopt new state legislative maps in February 2024. Redistricting legislation changed maps for the state Assembly districts, as well as drawing a new map for state Senate districts. Both are chambers of the state Legislature. 

Republican incumbent Joel Kitchens has served as the representative for District 1 since 2015 and is running against three-term Kewaunee County Board Supervisor Milt Swagel in the primary election. Whichever candidate wins the primary will face Democrat Renee Paplham in November’s general election. 

Kitchens and Swagel responded to the following questions by phone. Answers are edited for clarity and brevity. 

Joel Kitchens

What are your specific goals and issues you will focus on in your first year if elected?

I am the chairman of the education committee and will continue to focus on improving how reading is taught in schools, and make sure legislation I introduced on this issue is fully implemented. 

An overall goal is to leave taxes alone and spend money appropriately. 

A bill I co-wrote on limiting income tax on retirement income has been vetoed both times, which is a big disappointment. I will continue to work on that. 

Polls say two of the most important issues for Wisconsin voters are the economy and reproductive rights. What is your stance on these issues?

The short answer to the economy is we need to keep taxes down. Reducing inflation is a priority. Inflation has occurred because the government overspent during the pandemic. We need to keep government small and efficient. 

Reproductive rights and abortion is a moral issue. When do you believe life begins? The public has to decide. It’s legal up to 20 weeks in Wisconsin now. I am pro-life myself, but the courts decided and it is up to people to decide. 

Milt Swagel

What are your specific goals and issues you will focus on in your first year if elected?

We must decrease spending. I would break the budget apart and see what’s in there that isn’t needed. 

I would put money into maintaining infrastructure rather than overspending on new construction. We need to fix and maintain what we have already. 

I support school choice and school vouchers. It should be up to families: If they don’t want their children in a failing school, they have the option to choose another school. 

I also will work toward making sure the Second Amendment does not get chipped away at. That means no magazine restrictions, no red flag laws, no registration. These are all steps towards taking guns away.

Polls say two of the most important issues for Wisconsin voters are the economy and reproductive rights. What is your stance on these issues?

How can the average homeowner and taxpayer keep up with a 10 percent inflation rate every year? Get rid of what isn’t needed. For example, I’ve voted no on a new jail in Kewaunee County. Make it work. 

I voted against it twice. A jail is a jail, not a hotel. We don’t need the Taj Mahal. I would take that same approach in Madison and reform spending at the state level. I am a fiscal conservative. This is the taxpayers’ money.

I am anti-abortion. The pro-life issue is very important. Life begins at conception. Someone must speak for the preborn child. I will do that by protecting the miracle of conception.