Bruce Nestande

Bruce Nestande (born January 28 1938) is an U.S. politician who was a Republican California State Assemblyman and Orange County Supervisor.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Nestande graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1960 and earned his J.D. from Lincoln University.

He was a special assistant to Governor Ronald Reagan from 1971–1972 and Executive Director of the California Republican Party from 1972–1973.

Nestande returned to Reagan's office in 1974 but left after less than a year when he was elected to the California State Assembly to represent the 70th District in Orange County's. During his three terms in the Assembly, he served as Chairman of the Human Resources Committee and the Select Committee on Veterans Affairs. He was also a member of the Criminal Justice, Housing and Community Development Committee; the Ways and Means Committee; and the Resources, Land Use and Energy Committee.

Rather than seeking a fourth Assembly term in 1980, Nestande successfully sought election to the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Nestande was reelected in 1984 but resigned in 1987. In 1986, Nestande unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Secretary of State March Fong Eu.

From 1984–1988, Nestande was a member of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

In 1994, he was campaign chairman for Michael Huffington's campaign against incumbent U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. Huffington lost to Feinstein by 1.9%.

Nestande moved from Orange, California to nearby Newport Beach, after the 2000 death of his wife, Beverly. His son, Barry, serves as the Chief of Staff to Assemblyman John J. Benoit and is recognized as one of California's top political strategists, while his son, Brian, a former Chief of Staff to Congressman Sonny Bono and Congresswoman Mary Bono and owner of the political consulting firm of Nestande & Associates, is the Republican nominee to succeed Benoit, who vacated his Assembly seat to run for the State Senate.