Background
Aanestad was born in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Aanestad was born in Bismarck, North Dakota.
He received both his Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Dental Surgery (Doctor of Dental Surgery) degrees from the University of California, Los Los Angeles
He was an unsuccessful candidate for California"s 1st Congressional District, which was being vacated by retiring Congressman Wally Herger. He then did a four-year Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency at Highland Hospital in Oakland. Aanestad received a Master in Public Administration degree from Golden Gate University in 1991.
He was honored by the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry as their "Alumnus of the Year" in November 1998.
Aanestad has been a practicing dentist in Grass Valley, and has served as the Vice-Chief of Surgery at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital. He served three terms on the California Dental Association Council on Legislation, including three years as chairman, and he served two terms as president of the Butte-Sierra District Dental Society.
Aanestad served 11 years on the Grass Valley School District Board of Trustees. Aanestad was elected to the California State Assembly in 1998 to represent the 3rd District.
In 2002, Aanestad was elected to the California State Senate, where he served for two terms.
In the State Senate, Aanestad"s top priorities included rural health care, protecting North State water, and constituent services. Aanestad ran in the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of California in 2010. He was defeated by Abel Maldonado, coming in second place with 31% of the vote.
On February 9, 2012, Aanestad announced that he is officially running for the open 1st Congressional District in California being vacated by retiring Congressman Wally Herger.
Aanestad, who has represented most of this 1st Congressional District over the past twelve years, was endorsed by Republican Tom McClintock, a longtime friend and mentor who served with Aanestad in the Assembly and Senate.
Aanestad came third in the open primary losing to fellow Republican State Senator. Doug LaMalfa and Democrat Jim Reed.
The top two vote-getters faced off in the general election on November
He is also a member of the California and American Dental Association. He has been a member of the Rotary Club of Grass Valley, a youth soccer, football, and baseball coach, and as a member of the KNCO radio broadcast team for Nevada Union High School football.