Heather Hutt
{{Short description|American politician (born 1959)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Heather Hutt
|image = Heather Hutt, 2024.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2024
|office = Member of the Los Angeles City Council
for the 10th district
|term_start = April 11, 2023
|term_end =
|predecessor = Herself
|successor =
|term_start1 = September 2, 2022
|term_end1 = March 30, 2023
|predecessor1 = Herb Wesson
|successor1 = Herself
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|4|5}}
|birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Democratic
|spouse =
|children = 3
|education = University of Southern California{{citation needed|date=July 2024|reason=Please find a credible source that indicates whether Hutt attended the University of Southern California (including whether Hutt graduated with a degree).}}
}}
Heather J. Hutt (born April 5, 1959) is an American politician who is currently serving as an appointed councilmember representing the 10th District of Los Angeles since April 11, 2023, previously serving for a temporary vacancy from September 2, 2022 to March 30, 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-30/mark-ridley-thomas-convictions-la-city-council|title=Ridley-Thomas' felony convictions dictate his removal from L.A. City Council|website=Los Angeles Times|date=March 30, 2023|author=Wick, Julia}} She was previously a candidate for California's 54th State Assembly district in 2021 and served as a California State Director for then-Senator Kamala Harris from 2019 to 2020.
Early political career
In 2011, Hutt was hired as a District Director for Assemblymember Isadore Hall III, which she continued following Hall's election to the California State Senate. In February 2017, Hutt was named the Regional Deputy Director for then-Senator Kamala Harris. On March 28, 2019, Harris announced new hires for senior roles, to which Hutt was hired as the California State Director.{{Cite web |date=March 28, 2019 |title=Harris Announces Diverse New Hires In Senior Roles |url=https://lasentinel.net/harris-announces-diverse-new-hires-in-senior-roles.html |website=Los Angeles Sentinel}}
On February 1, 2022, Hutt announced that she would be running for California's 54th State Assembly district after it was vacated by Sydney Kamlager's election to the California State Senate.{{Cite web |date=February 1, 2021 |title=HEATHER HUTT LAUNCHES BID FOR ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 54 |url=https://lasentinel.net/heather-hutt-launches-bid-for-assembly-district-54.html |website=Los Angeles Sentinel}}{{Cite web |last=Desai |first=Ishani |date=March 12, 2021 |title=Three candidates contend for District 54 Assembly seat, including UCLA staff member |url=https://dailybruin.com/2021/03/12/three-candidates-contend-for-district-54-assembly-seat-including-ucla-staff-member |website=Daily Bruin}} She was endorsed by politicians such as Janice Hahn, Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, and Maxine Waters.{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=Eric A. |date=May 3, 2021 |title=Race heats up in California's 54th Assembly District |url=https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/race-heats-up-in-californias-54th-assembly-district/ |website=People's World}} In the election, she was led by Isaac Bryan in the initial count, and lost the special primary to Bryan on May 18, 2021.{{Cite web |last=Desai |first=Ishan |date=May 28, 2021 |title=UCLA alum Isaac Bryan to represent District 54 following special election |url=https://dailybruin.com/2021/05/28/ucla-alum-isaac-bryan-to-represent-district-54-following-special-election |website=Daily Bruin}}{{Cite web |date=May 18, 2021 |title=Bryan leads semi-official results in 54th Assembly special election, just short of majority |url=https://www.dailybreeze.com/2021/05/18/bryan-takes-early-lead-in-special-election-for-54th-assembly-district/ |website=Daily Breeze}}
Los Angeles City Council
File:Heather Hutt, Martin Ludlow, and George J. McKenna III, 2023.png and School Board member George J. McKenna III in 2023.]]
In March 2022, Hutt was appointed by councilmember Herb Wesson to be his chief of staff for District 10 after he fired the previous chief of staff and former caretaker of the district, Karly Katona.{{Cite web |last=Zahniser |first=David |date=March 21, 2022 |title=With Herb Wesson back at City Hall, two top aides to Mark Ridley-Thomas are pushed out |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-03-21/with-herb-wesson-back-at-city-hall-two-high-level-aides-to-mark-ridley-thomas-are-pushed-out |website=Los Angeles Times}} Wesson had been appointed himself to the seat after Mark Ridley-Thomas was indicted on bribery charges. Hutt's appointment was historic as she is the first African American woman to serve as chief of staff since 1973, when Maxine Waters was chief deputy to David S. Cunningham Jr.{{Cite web |last=Blakewell Jr. |first=Danny J. |date=March 23, 2022 |title=Wesson Appoints Heather Hutt as 10th District Chief of Staff |url=https://lasentinel.net/wesson-appoints-heather-hutt-as-10th-district-chief-of-staff.html |website=Los Angeles Sentinel}} In July 2022, California Attorney General Rob Bonta granted activists against Wesson's appointment to sue, and Wesson was blocked from serving as councilmember; Council President Nury Martinez appointed Hutt as a caretaker of the district.{{Cite web |last=Regardie |first=Jon|date=July 25, 2022|title=District 10 Hurled Back In Time as Political Battle Royale Intensifies |url=https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/district-10-hurled-back-in-time-as-political-battle-royale-intensifies/ |website=Los Angeles}}
After a month of no representation, some residents of District 10 asked for voting privileges for Hutt to give them a voice in the City Council, while others expressed concern that residents should have the right to elect their own representative.{{Cite web |last=Jackson-Fossett |first=Cora|date=August 18, 2022 |title=Community Requests CD 10 Voting Privileges for Hutt |url=https://lasentinel.net/community-requests-cd-10-voting-privileges-for-hutt.html |website=Los Angeles Sentinel}}{{Cite web |last=Los Angeles Times |first=Editorial Board |date=August 29, 2022 |title=Editorial: Shouldn't Council District 10 voters have a voice in choosing their representative?|url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-08-29/council-district-10-heather-hutt-appointment |website=Los Angeles Times}}{{Cite web |date=August 16, 2022 |title=Residents of 10th District still without voting member on LA City Council |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/residents-of-10th-district-still-without-voting-member-on-la-city-council/ |website=CBS News}} On August 26, 2022, Martinez introduced a motion to appoint Hutt as a councilmember, which was seconded by four other members.{{Cite web |last=Powells |first=Darleene |date=August 26, 2022 |title=Motion made to appoint Heather Hutt for Mark Ridley-Thomas' LA City Council seat |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/heather-hutt-appointed-to-mark-ridley-thomas-la-city-council-seat/ |website=CBS News}}{{Cite web |last=Kevin Andrew |first=Dolak |date=August 26, 2022 |title=L.A. Council President Proposes Heather Hutt Represent District 10 |url=https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/l-a-council-president-proposes-heather-hutt-represent-district-10/ |website=Los Angeles}} The motion was opposed by Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Mike Bonin, who instead proposed instructing the City Attorney to find eligibility requirements for appointments.{{Cite web |last=Chou |first=Elizabeth |date=August 26, 2022 |title=LA City Council may tussle over the push for Heather Hutt to replace Mark Ridley-Thomas |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2022/08/26/la-city-council-may-tussle-over-the-push-for-heather-hutt-to-replace-mark-ridley-thomas/ |website=Los Angeles Daily News}}{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Dakota |date=August 26, 2022 |title=L.A. City Council splits on how to fill indicted Councilman Ridley-Thomas' seat |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-26/city-council-ridley-thomas-district-vacancy |website=Los Angeles Times}} On August 30, the vote to instate Hutt as a councilmember fell one vote short, with five voting for and five voting against; it was referred to the Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee for further discussion.{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2022 |title=LA Council members delay Heather Hutt's nomination for 10th District |url=https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-east/politics/2022/08/30/la-council-to-consider-heather-hutt-for-10th-district-seat-amid-disagreement |website=Spectrum News 1}} The Committee cleared her for reconsideration by the Council the next day, and Hutt was confirmed by the Council in the next meeting and sworn in on September 2, 2022.{{Cite web |date=August 31, 2022 |title=Heather Hutt's nomination for vacant LA Council seat clears committee |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2022/08/31/heather-hutts-nomination-for-vacant-la-council-seat-clears-committee/ |website=Los Angeles Daily News}}{{Cite web |date=September 2, 2022 |title=LA City Council appoints Heather Hutt to fill interim council member for 10th district |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/video/la-city-council-appoints-heather-hutt-to-fill-interim-council-member-for-10th-district/ |website=CBS News}} On March 9, 2023, Hutt announced her election campaign for the district.{{cite web|url=https://lasentinel.net/heather-hutt-launches-campaign-for-cd-10-councilmember.html|title=Heather Hutt Launches Campaign for CD 10 Councilmember |date=March 9, 2023|website=Los Angeles Sentinel}}
On March 30, 2023, after Ridley-Thomas was convicted of bribery, Hutt's place on the City Council was no longer in force due to her appointment only being for the temporary vacancy. Council President Paul Krekorian re-appointed Hutt as the caretaker of the district and called on the City Council to re-appoint her as a councilmember for the remainder of the unexpired term.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/mark-ridley-thomas-la-city-council-seat/3126494/|title=What's Next for the LA City Council After Mark Ridley-Thomas' Corruption Conviction?|website=KNBC|author=Lloyd, Jonathan|date=March 31, 2023}} On April 11, 2023, the City Council voted to re-appoint her as council to serve Ridley-Thomas's term.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-04-11/heather-hutt-will-stay-on-the-city-council-through-december-2024|title=L.A. Council reappoints Heather Hutt, skipping special election for Ridley-Thomas seat|website=Los Angeles Times|date=April 11, 2023|author=Zahniser, David}}
Electoral history
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|+ {{sronly|Electoral history of Ken Weir}} ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Year ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 colspan=2| Office ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Party ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=3 | Primary ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=3 | General ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Result ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Swing ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | {{abbr|Ref|Reference}}. |
| style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Total
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | % ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | {{abbr|P|Position}}. ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Total ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | % ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | {{abbr|P|Position}}. |
|---|
| style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2021
|54th | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" | | 10,538 | 24.92% | 2nd | colspan=3 {{n/a|Runoff cancelled}} | {{no2|Lost}} | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" | | Hold |{{cite web |title=Final Official Election Results - Assembly District 54 |url=https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/prior-elections/special-elections/2021-ad54/primary-official-canvass |website=California Secretary of State |access-date=May 19, 2021 |date=May 18, 2021}} |
| style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2024
|10th | style="background-color:{{party color|Nonpartisan}};" | | 13,499 | 37.78% | 1st | 50,895 |62.81% |1st | {{yes2|Won}} | style="background-color:{{party color|None}};" | | N/A |{{cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2024/03/05/election-2024-early-results-for-los-angeles-city-council-races/|title= Election 2024: Semi-final results are in for LA City Council races |website=Los Angeles Daily News|date=March 6, 2024|author=Tat, Linh}} |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Los Angeles City Council}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hutt, Heather}}
Category:21st-century African-American politicians
Category:21st-century California politicians
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:African-American city council members in California
Category:21st-century African-American women politicians