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Bennette Misalucha | |
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![]() Misalucha | |
Member of the Hawaii Senate from the 16th district | |
In office July 10, 2020 –November 8, 2022 | |
Appointed by | David Ige |
Preceded by | Breene Harimoto |
Succeeded by | Brandon Elefante |
Personal details | |
Born | Manila,Philippines |
Political party | Democratic |
Children | 2 |
Residence | ʻAiea,Hawaii |
Education | University of Hawaii,Manoa (BA) |
Bennette Espineli Misalucha is an American politician who served as a member of the Hawaii Senate for the 16th district from 2020 to 2022. She was appointed to the seat after incumbent Democrat Breene Harimoto died. [1] She won a special election to fill the term in 2020,but lost re-nomination to Brandon Elefante in 2022. [2] [3]
Misalucha was born in Manila and raised in Davao City and Cebu in the Philippines;her mother,Avelina Espineli,was a school teacher and her father,Benjamin Robledo,was an insurance executive. She immigrated to Hawaii in the early 1980s. [4]
Misalucha attended the University of the Philippines Cebu College,but dropped out during her senior year to work for DYCB-TV. She graduated from the University of Hawaii-Manoa with a bachelor's degree in communications/journalism and graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. [3] [4]
Misalucha previously worked as a broadcast journalist at KHON-TV and DYCB-TV from 1980 to 1984. [2] She was the executive director of the Hawai’i Crop Improvement Association,vice president at Actus Lend Lease,and also a former senior vice president at Central Pacific Bank. [3] [4]
She is currently the executive director of the Hawaii Workforce Development Council. [5]
Following incumbent Democratic state senator Breene Harimoto death from pancreatic cancer,governor David Ige appointed Misalucha to fill his term. [1] She won a special election to fill the term in 2020 with 52.7% of the vote,defeating Republican candidate Kelly Puamailani Kitashima. [2]
In 2022,Honolulu City Councilmember Brandon Elefante challenged Misalucha in the Democratic primary election. [6] He defeated her in a landslide with 70.83% to her 29.17% of the vote. [7]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Brandon Elefante | 9,680 | 70.83 | |
Democratic | Bennette Misalucha (incumbent) | 3,987 | 29.17 | |
Total votes | 13,667 | 100.00 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Bennette Misalucha (incumbent) | 11,508 | 52.7 | |
Republican | Kelly Kitashima | 10,335 | 47.3 | |
Total votes | 21,843 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
Misalucha has a daughter and son,Danielle and Christian Evangelista. [3] She resides in ʻAiea,Hawaii. [9]