Jonathan Lee (Hawaii)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Jonathan Lee

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 13, 2022

Education

Associate

Excelsior College, 2017

Bachelor's

Excelsior College, 2018

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Navy

Years of service

2010 - 2021

Personal

Profession

Instructor

Jonathan Lee (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Hawaii House of Representatives to represent District 44. Lee lost in the Democratic primary on August 13, 2022.

Lee completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Jonathan Lee served in the U.S. Navy from 2010 to 2021. Lee earned an associate degree from Excelsior College in 2017 and a bachelor's degree from Excelsior College in 2018. Lee's career experience includes working as a sailor and instructor in the U.S. Navy. Lee has been affiliated with the Minority Veterans of America and the Autism Society of Hawaii.

Elections

2022

See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Hawaii House of Representatives District 44

Darius Kila defeated Kimberly Kopetseg in the general election for Hawaii House of Representatives District 44 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Darius Kila (D)	62.5	3,342
	Submit photo	Kimberly Kopetseg (R)	37.5	2,007

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,349
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 44

Darius Kila defeated Jonathan Lee in the Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 44 on August 13, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Darius Kila	76.3	1,767
		Jonathan Lee	23.7	548

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,315
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 44

Kimberly Kopetseg advanced from the Republican primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 44 on August 13, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Kimberly Kopetseg	100.0	1,230

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,230
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jonathan Lee completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lee's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a retired military veteran of mixed Mexican decent, a father to a special needs child, a children's book author, a domestic abuse activist, and a policy analyst and legislative author. As the son of a public school teacher's aide and a bus mechanic, I grew up in poverty and have worked several jobs since I was 15 years old. A student of Harvard University Extension School and the University of Hawaii West Oahu, I have the life experience and background to effectively represent my district.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Moderate Democrat willing to speak truth to power
• Experienced leader. Devoted father. Bold ideas.
• Putting the people of Hawaii first

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Traffic and infrastructure are a serious problem affecting the westside economy. Businesses are closing up and new businesses are scarce. Income inequality and homelessness threaten the Hawaiian way of life. We need to re-focus our attention on building up the economy and attracting new money to the district. I intended to introduce laws to reform the Child Welfare System and the broken and corrupt Family Court which affect Hawaiians daily lives. I will be a voice to all the people of my district and not just those who agree with me.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

"The Castaway Kids and the Pirates of Zactrala Island" is a young adult fiction novel about a group of 8th graders seeking adventure on the high seas before everything goes wrong. They must work together to survive harsh environments and enemies, overcome diversity, and make hard decisions to do what is necessary to establish a sense of normalcy on a deserted island. At the time my co-writer and I penned this book, we didn't have a political message in mind, but looking back, a lot of my values seeped onto the pages and it is a great way (and a fun one) to learn a little bit more about me.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to restore Hawaii to its former beauty and help Hawaiians enjoy the paradise they deserve. They currently struggle day-to-day just trying to pay bills and feed their families.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

9/11 had a huge impact on my life and influenced my decision to join the military. I believe in fighting for something bigger than yourself and some of the greatest people I've ever known were my brothers and sisters in the Armed Forces. I want to continue to serve my country by seeking public office and speak up for the underdogs of the world.

What is your favorite book? Why?

"The Castaway Kids and the Pirates of Zactrala Island"

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

I believe that compromise is necessary in any relationship. A marriage, a business, or in policymaking. Compromise is the foundation of democracy and the best way to move forward in any meaningful and long term way.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2022 Elections

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Government

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Newsletters

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External links

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Hawaii House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Nadine Nakamura

Majority Leader:Sean Quinlan

Minority Leader:Lauren Matsumoto

Representatives

District 1

Matthias Kusch (D)

District 2

Susan Lee Loy (D)

District 3

Chris Todd (D)

District 4

Greggor Ilagan (D)

District 5

Jeanne Kapela (D)

District 6

Kirstin Kahaloa (D)

District 7

Nicole Lowen (D)

District 8

David Tarnas (D)

District 9

Justin Woodson (D)

District 10

Tyson Miyake (D)

District 11

Terez Amato (D)

District 12

Kyle Yamashita (D)

District 13

Mahina Poepoe (D)

District 14

Elle Cochran (D)

District 15

Nadine Nakamura (D)

District 16

Luke Evslin (D)

District 17

Dee Morikawa (D)

District 18

Joe Gedeon (R)

District 19

Mark Hashem (D)

District 20

Tina Nakada Grandinetti (D)

District 21

Jackson Sayama (D)

District 22

Andrew Takuya Garrett (D)

District 23

Ikaika Olds (D)

District 24

Adrian Tam (D)

District 25

Kim Iwamoto (D)

District 26

Della Belatti (D)

District 27

Jenna Takenouchi (D)

District 28

Daniel Holt (D)

District 29

Ikaika Hussey (D)

District 30

Shirley Templo (D)

District 31

Linda Ichiyama (D)

District 32

Garner Shimizu (R)

District 33

Sam Kong (D)

District 34

Gregg Takayama (D)

District 35

Cory Chun (D)

District 36

Rachele Lamosao (D)

District 37

Trish La Chica (D)

District 38

Lauren Matsumoto (R)

District 39

Elijah Pierick (R)

District 40

Julie Reyes Oda (R)

District 41

David Alcos (R)

District 42

Diamond Garcia (R)

District 43

Kanani Souza (R)

District 44

Darius Kila (D)

District 45

Chris Muraoka (R)

District 46

Amy Perruso (D)

District 47

Sean Quinlan (D)

District 48

Lisa Kitagawa (D)

District 49

Scot Matayoshi (D)

District 50

Michael Lee (D)

District 51

Lisa Marten (D)

Democratic Party (42)

Republican Party (9)