K. Maurice Johannessen is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 politician from California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 and a member of the Republican Party

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

. Johannessen made his living in real estate before being elected to the Redding

Redding, California

Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...

 city council, where he served as mayor from 1988 until 1989. In 1990, he won election to the Shasta County

Shasta County, California

Shasta County is a county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The county occupies the northern reaches of the Sacramento Valley, with portions extending into the southern reaches of the Cascade Range. As of the 2010 census, the population was 177,223, up from 163,256...

 Board of Supervisors, serving as its chairman in 1992. He ran for the California State Senate

California State Senate

The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...

 in a 1993 special election for the 4th district left vacant when Democratic incumbent Mike Thompson

Mike Thompson

Michael C. Thompson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties as well as parts of Yolo and Sonoma Counties....

 won election to the neighboring 2nd district (where his home wound up after redistricting

Redistricting

Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...

). Johannessen defeated former 7th district Assemblywoman Bev Hansen

Bev Hansen

Beverly K. "Bev" Hansen is an American politician from California and a member of the Republican Party. A former staffer to onetime state Senator Jim Nielsen, Hansen was first elected to the California State Assembly in 1986 from the 7th District, representing Lake and Napa counties and parts of...

 in the August GOP primary by a wide margin and went on to win reelection in 1994 and 1998.

Upon leaving the State Senate in 2002, he was appointed by Democratic Governor Gray Davis

Gray Davis

Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...

 as Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs, a post he held until 2003. Johannessen resides in Redding

Redding, California

Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...

with his wife, Marianne.