Natalia Hussey-Burdick

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Natalia Hussey-Burdick

| image = Hawaii State Senators and Representatives Visit MCBH (2) (cropped).jpg

| state_house = Hawaii

| district = 50th

| predecessor = Redistricted

| successor = Mike Lee

| term_start = November 8, 2022

| term_end = November 5, 2024

| party = Democratic

| otherparty =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|12|02}}

| birth_place = Kailua, Hawaii, U.S.

| residence = Kailua, Hawaii

| alma_mater = University of Hawaiʻi

| relatives = Chris Burdick (uncle){{cite web |last1=Edwards |first1=Jeff |title=Candidate Profile: Chris Burdick Seeks Reelection To NYS Assembly |url=https://patch.com/new-york/bedford/candidate-profile-chris-burdick-seeks-reelection-nys-assembly |website=Bedford-Katonah, NY Patch |publisher=Patch Media |language=en |date=25 October 2022}}

| occupation =

| website = {{URL|https://www.nataliaforhawaii.com|Campaign website}}

| religion =

| profession = Politician, activist

}}

Natalia Antonina Hussey-Burdick (née Burdick; born December 2, 1989) is an American politician and activist who was elected to succeed Patrick Branco as State Representative for District 50 in the Hawaii House of Representatives during the state's 2022 General Election. She lost reelection in 2024 in the primary against challenger Mike Lee.{{cite news |last1=Blair |first1=Chad |last2=Lovell |first2=Blaze |title=Iwamoto Edges Out House Speaker Saiki In Tight Race |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2024/08/many-hawaii-legislators-will-return-to-the-capitol-this-year-but-there-are-surprises/ |access-date=11 November 2024 |work=Honolulu Civil Beat |date=August 10, 2024}}

Education and early career

Hussey-Burdick graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi in 2016 with a B.A. in biology. She initially made plans to attend Medical School.{{Cite web |title=Legislative Members |url=https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/legislature/memberpage.aspx?member=261&year=2023 |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=www.capitol.hawaii.gov}}

Before becoming a candidate for public office herself, Hussey-Burdick worked a legislative aide for Hawaii State Senator Laura Thielen and a Committee Clerk for the House Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs.{{cite web |title=Natalia for Hawai'i |url=https://www.nataliaforhawaii.com |website=Natalia for Hawai'i |publisher=Natalia for Hawai'i |access-date=11 November 2022}}

Political career

In 2018, Hussey-Burdick launched her campaign to represent Hawaii's 49th House of Representatives District, entering a four-way primary election. She later lost the primary election, coming in second place with about 19 percent of the vote, paving the way for Scot Matayoshi to win the General election uncontested.

After her 2018 loss, she served as Office Manager to State Representative Tina Wildberger.http://www.dist11smaui.com In 2021, she was also confirmed as a member of the State Council Reapportionment Commission, which was responsible for Hawaii's redistricting process following the 2020 census. She also served as Secretary of the Hawaii Democratic Party from 2018 to 2020.{{cite web |last1=Wiens |first1=Richard |title=Candidate Q&A: State House District 50 — Natalia Hussey-Burdick |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/09/candidate-qa-state-house-district-50-natalia-hussey-burdick/ |website=Honolulu Civil Beat |publisher=Honolulu Civil Beat Inc. |access-date=11 November 2022 |language=en |date=28 September 2022}}

In 2022, Hussey-Burdick ran in Hawaii's 50th House District race to succeed Patrick Branco, who did not run for reelection to the state house in order to run for Congress in the 2022 midterm elections. Hussey-Burdick won a four-way primary election with less than 42 percent of the vote.{{cite web |title=PRIMARY ELECTION 2022 - State of Hawaii - Statewide August 13, 2022 |url=https://files.hawaii.gov/elections/files/results/2022/primary/histatewide.pdf |website=Hawaii Board of Elections |publisher=Hawaii Board of Elections |access-date=11 November 2022}} She then went on to easily win the primary election against local political and businessowner Kathy Thurston with over 60 percent of the vote.{{cite web |last1=Dayton |first1=Kevin |title=Hawaii Legislature: Matt LoPresti And Sharon Har Lose After Their DUI Arrests |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/11/hawaii-legislature-matt-lopresti-is-losing-and-sharon-har-may-go-down-too/ |website=Honolulu Civil Beat |publisher=Honolulu Civil Beat Inc |access-date=12 November 2022 |language=en |date=9 November 2022}}

In April 2023, Hussey-Burdick was accused by several fellow legislators of allegedly trying to get them arrested for drunk driving in connection with a party held at the State Capitol; she later released a statement of apology.{{cite news |last1=Huff |first1=Daryl |title=Freshman lawmaker accused of trying to get fellow legislators arrested for drunk driving |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/04/15/freshman-representative-accused-trying-get-fellow-lawmakers-arrested-drunk-driving/ |access-date=26 June 2023 |work=Hawaii News Now |date=14 April 2023}}{{Cite press release |last=Hussey-Burdick |first1=Natalia |date=14 April 2023 |title=Representative Natalia Hussey-Burdick’s Official Statement Regarding Civil Beat Article Published on April 13, 2023 |url=https://www.facebook.com/repnhb/posts/pfbid02EkNzokoR3uyiVebnkbXDwjqNrc1UtmKV4HWtf9CNzH2Dj42VT3NWg5zjTkAvVH3jl |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231118005212/https://www.facebook.com/repnhb/posts/pfbid02EkNzokoR3uyiVebnkbXDwjqNrc1UtmKV4HWtf9CNzH2Dj42VT3NWg5zjTkAvVH3jl |archive-date=18 November 2023 |access-date=17 November 2023 |website=Facebook}}

In May 2023, Hussey-Burdick joined seven other members of the Hawaii House of Representatives in voting no on the state budget amidst criticism that it failed to appropriate funds to, among other things, the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the University of Hawaiʻi System. The budget was ultimately adopted by the House by a vote of 41-8.{{cite web |last1=Dayton |first1=Kevin |last2=Angarone |first2=Ben |title=Lawmakers End Session Amid Criticism Of The Budget And Use Of Surplus |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/05/lawmakers-end-session-amid-criticism-of-the-budget-and-use-of-surplus/ |website=Honolulu Civil Beat |publisher=Honolulu Civil Beat Inc |access-date=17 November 2023 |language=en |date=4 May 2023}}

Hussey-Burdick ran for reelection in 2024 but lost in the primary to Mike Lee.

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change

|title = 2018 Hawaii House of Representatives Election, District 49{{cite web |title=PRIMARY ELECTION 2018 - State of Hawaii – Statewide August 11, 2018 SUMMARY REPORT |url=https://files.hawaii.gov/elections/files/results/2018/primary/histatewide.pdf |website=Hawaii Board of Elections |publisher=Hawaii Board of Elections |access-date=12 November 2022}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Scot Matayoshi

| votes = 5,336

| percentage = 72.44

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Natalia Hussey-Burdick

| votes = 1,393

| percentage = 18.91

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Kaui Dalire

| votes = 324

| percentage = 4.40

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Mo Radke

| votes = 313

| percentage = 4.25

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 7366

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change

|title=2022 Hawaii House of Representatives Election, District 50{{cite web |title=PRIMARY ELECTION 2022 - State of Hawaii - Statewide August 13, 2022 Page 1 Printed on: 08/25/2022 at 02:21:38 pm SUMMARY REPORT |url=https://files.hawaii.gov/elections/files/results/2022/primary/histatewide.pdf |website=Hawaii Board of Elections |publisher=Hawaii Board of Elections |access-date=12 November 2022}}{{cite web |title=GENERAL ELECTION 2022 - State of Hawaii - Statewide November 8, 2022 Page 1 Printed on: 11/09/2022 at 09:20:10 pm SUMMARY REPORT |url=https://elections.hawaii.gov/wp-content/results/histatewide.pdf |website=Hawaii Board of Elections |publisher=Hawaii Board of Elections |access-date=12 November 2022}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Natalia Hussey-Burdick|votes=3,088|percentage=48.38|change=}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Michael Lee|votes=2,845|percentage=44.57|change=}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Esera D.L. Vegas|votes=283 |percentage=4.43|change=}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Toni C. Difante|votes=167|percentage=2.62|change=}}

{{Election box total no change|votes=6,383|percentage=100.00|change=}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|candidate=Natalia Hussey-Burdick

|party=Democratic Party (United States)

|votes=6,997

|percentage=63.14}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|candidate=Kathy Thurston

|party=Republican Party (United States)

|votes=4,085

|percentage=36.86}}

{{Election box total no change|votes=11,082|percentage=100.00