It was a tense night at the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, California, and when the dust settled, Nicole Johnson was crowned the 2010 Miss California USA.

The 24-year-old Ventura County resident stood out among the 133 contestants, beating out the crowd favorite Nana Meriwether from Beverly Hills.

Overjoyed with her win, Johnson told press, “I think it was my presentation.  I was very confident on the stage,

and I stood out in a red gown.  So I think possibly that was it.”

Hopefully last night’s pageant will be the first step in moving on from the recent drama surrounding 2009’s Miss California USA Carrie Prejean who was stripped of her title back in June for allegedly lost scheduled appearances and for showing up at ones that were not approved by pageant officials.

Original post by http://www.gossipgirls.com