"I truly find joy in service. I sincerely hope that as your State Senator, I can continue to make a difference."
Aloha!
It was my distinct honor to be appointed on July 9, 2020 to Senate District 16, a seat left vacant by the untimely passing of our beloved Senator Breene Harimoto. I won the special election in November 2020 and have worked hard to serve you, the people of Aiea and Pearl City.
My name is Bennette Misalucha and I am running for re-election to continue the solid initiatives we have accomplished even as we nurture bright dreams for our district. My family and I have lived in Aiea/Pearl City area for twenty-seven years. We raised our two children (now adults) in the neighborhood, practiced our faith in churches within its boundaries and have been a witness to the growth and development of our area the past many years. We have deep ties and a profound awareness of how special our community is.
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Why am I interested in being re-elected?
Because of the pressing impact that Covid brought, the seat needs a tried-and-tested leadership presence. It requires someone who has the life skills and work experience so the priorities of our community will continue to be appropriately met.
In the midst of the pandemic, we took a hands-on approach and galvanized the community to action. Whether it was food distribution drives for our economically-advantaged families, or school supply drives for our keikis, or a Christmas toy drive for the children in our public housing projects, our community banded together in the spirit of aloha.
I strongly believe that because of the community’s support and our leadership, we have been effective in our role as your Senator.
I bring with me a strong and diverse career background which has allowed me to hit the ground running from the get-go. I started as a broadcast journalist in my early years; switched to banking to accommodate family and motherhood; then went on to executive positions for the last 20 years. I did not balk at taking on tough challenges even as I stepped up to leadership positions.
When one reviews my background, what is readily apparent is my inherent love for Hawaii and its people. I have served our local community in various volunteer capacities for the past thirty years, including Girl’s Scouts of Hawaii, YMCA, Women in Transportation, YWCA, Filipino Community Center and Hawaii Public Radio. I served on the board of directors of Oahu Transit Systems (TheBus) for 17 years and continue to sit on the Board of Regents for Chaminade University, a role I had fulfilled for the past 18 years.
My great desire is to continue the meaningful work in the district that our esteemed past senators, including Senator Breene Harimoto and Governor David Ige, have started. I think our community deserves no less.
Please join me in working to fulfill the dreams of our children and the beautiful future that awaits our community. I sincerely ask for your support.
Very Truly Yours,
Bennette Misalucha
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"Re-elect. The word is simple yet it means so much.
To me, it’s a continuation of the deep commitment I made 18 months ago when I started my journey in public service. To the community leaders I work with, it means stability as we continue to work on so many projects in the district. To my constituents, it means trust in a proven leader. Re-elect. It makes a world of difference."
- Bennette Misalucha
Words from the Community
Loretta Kaopua
Newtown resident
We have been residents of Newtown for over 40 years and was excited to hear of Bennette Misalucha’s appointment to the Senate. We’ve known her for a long time and know that she will represent our area well. She is intelligent, honest, committed, hard working and caring, all the characteristics for the makings of a great Senator. No doubt, she has proven to be a valuable asset to the Hawaii State Senate.
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Larry Veray
Pearl City Resident and Community Leader of 35 years
Over the past two years, Senator Bennette Misalucha has truly made a positive impact on our community by her creative, innovative and resourceful ideas to help our residents in Pearl City with her priority always looking out for our Keiki, Kupuna and our residents. She successfully engaged her peers at the State Legislature resulting in a very high number of bills and resolutions that were approved and signed by the Governor. Always listening and responding to community resident needs, she is always engaging problems head-on and coming up with short-term and long-term solutions. She is a proven leader and I most strongly recommend you vote for her this next election.
Carol Tano
Retired public school teacher
Bennette has tirelessly served with grace, compassion and dedication to all who seek help and to those she serves. Her words and deeds exemplify her genuine commitment to basic moral values, her family and to all communities. Her experience is her asset, her skills to collaboratively make progress is her strength.
Steve Wood
Aiea Community Leader
When Senator Harimoto passed away, I wasn't sure what type of elected official would be appointed to us by Gov. Ige. Would that official be just as great as Senator Harimoto or would that official be somebody who is only there for their own interests? The answer is that Sen Misalucha has been an outstanding senator.
I can honestly say that she has exceeded all my expectations. She has taken several initiatives ranging from local involvement such as coordinating cleanup days for our Aiea Elementary School to introducing legislative bills addressing early childhood care, consumer protection, and affordable housing. She has also represented us admirably at national conferences such as the National Conference of State Legislatures summit.
With that said, I wholeheartedly endorse her re-election efforts for the District 16 position. If elected, she will continue to be a fine senator who the people of this community can be confident, knowing that their voices will be heard, their problems will get the attention they deserve, and she will always look out for their best interests.
