Kenneth L. Maddy

Who was Kenneth L. Maddy?

Kenneth Leon Maddy was a Republican member of the California State Assembly and State Senate from Fresno.

"As someone who spent nearly three decades in the Capitol attempting to craft Bipartisan solutions to the State's problems, I have seen firsthand that moderation in forming policy is in the best interest of California." - Senator Kenneth L. Maddy

Maddy was born in Santa Monica. He attended Fresno State College and graduated in 1957 with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture. He served in the State Assembly for Fresno County from 1971 to 1978.

Maddy ran unsuccessfully for governor in the 1978 Republican primary, having finished in third place with 484,583 votes. The nomination went to state Attorney General Evelle J. Younger, but he was defeated by the Democratic Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr., in the general election.

Maddy was then elected to the State Senate in 1978 and served there until 1998. He was the chairman for the Senate Republican Caucus from 1979 to 1983 and was the Republican Leader of the Senate from 1987 to 1995.