Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) is earning a reputation as a pragmatic, reformative, even relentless, lawmaker who must now wait for a majority vote from the California State Legislature to either confirm him as lieutenant governor or reject his nomination.
Appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as lieutenant governor last November, Maldonado was depicted by the Governor as “a terrific, loyal man that has worked very hard in public service…he makes decisions based on what’s best for the people rather than what’s best for the party.”
The son of an immigrant farmer, Maldonado, 42, grew up on the central coast of California, attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo as a Crop Science major — although his graduation has not yet been successfully confirmed– and was elected Mayor of Santa Maria in 1996 before serving three terms in the State Assembly beginning 1998.
“I think I help [people] understand that anyone can do anything. My father helped me to understand this. He came to this country with nothing but the shirt on his back, and built successful life with my mother. And look at me—a son of an immigrant farmer, and I’ve come this far,” Maldonado said.
The lieutenant governor nominee has a success story that speaks directly to the Latino and minority communities. Neither political party can ignore Maldonado’s ethnic contribution to the political arena in California.
It’s been more than 130 years since a Hispanic Republican held state office in California. But that alone doesn’t make Maldonado popular with other lawmakers.
The appointment process requires the Legislature to confirm or reject Maldonado within 90 days or before Feb. 21. Maldonado’s advancement to lieutenant governor is bittersweet, falling in the middle of the political battlefield.
Teaching California and U.S. politics, Michael Latner, Assistant Professor at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, understands Maldonado’s intrinsic value to those who sit across the aisle.
“His district is one of the four dominant in the state; his biggest asset is to be the dealmaker,” Latner said. “If Democrats lose Maldonado they could end up with someone else in his seat who is more of a threat. Democrats need Maldonado’s vote, its pivotal.”
Democrats considering the open Senate seat, in hopes to secure the position for one of their own, support Maldonado’s confirmation. But still Republican lawmakers show contempt for the moderate Republican legislator after he voted in favor of tax increases as part of the Democrats proposed (and long anticipated) budget to avoid State bankruptcy last year. During Maldonado’s tenure in the Legislature, he always opposed tax increases. This past year was the exception.
“I simply could not let our state go bankrupt due to our inaction on the Budget. My vote on the tax increase may have damaged my political career but it wasn’t about me; it was about what was best for the people of our state,” Maldonado said.
If confirmed, Maldonado would replace John Garamendi, a Democrat, who was elected to congress early November. But both the state Senate and Assembly must vote as a majority. The challenge is members of the Senate have already announced plans to run for the lieutenant governor seat. Indeed, if the Legislature rejects the nomination with a majority disapproval vote, a special election will be held later this year.
Informed by Senate President Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) that a special election would cost taxpayers a substantial amount of money, it is in the best interest of the State to act well before the deadline in order to consolidate the election to replace Maldonado with the June primary.
Mayor of Santa Maria, Laurence (Larry) Lavagnino, commented Tuesday on Maldonado’s confirmation .” I hope he gets it, but politics is a very, very tough business in Sacramento. I’m pulling for him.” Sen. Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley) and Sen. Jeff Denham (R-Merced), both contenders to replace Maldonado, did not wish to comment.
Despite the lieutenant governor seat exercising little authority –except in the absence of the Governor or being ready to assume the position as future Governor– the Legislature should act quickly and consider not only Maldonado’s title in California politics, but how far he will be willing to lend himself to Democrats, crossing the aisle after a decision has been made, as Senator or as Schwarzenegger’s No. 2 man.