Abel Maldonado just might come out on top after all. According to the San Jose Mercury News, Maldonado just might end up getting appointed to replace John Garamendi as our Lt. Governor. It is actually a very plausible scenario:
Now that John Garamendi had decided he really wasn’t serious about that gubernatorial run and that he’d really rather be on Capitol Hill, oddsmakers are already buzzing about who might be named California’s new lieutenant governor if Garamendi wins Ellen Tauscher’s soon-to-be-vacant congressional seat.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn’t appoint just anybody to replace Garamendi; it would have to be someone Democrats would confirm. And that someone just might be state Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-San Luis Obispo, who gained big chits with Arnold for being one of three Senate Republicans to vote for the budget — and for new taxes — earlier this year.
The gum-chomping Maldonado has had designs on statewide office since 2006, when he ran for controller but couldn’t get through the conservative Republican primary. He’s looking at another statewide run in 2010 but has little chance after committing his apostasy on taxes.
This is bound to drive poor Matt “Jerbal” Cunningham nuts, as he is trying to recall Maldonado. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t like it when Maldonado voted for the budget either, but if the Republicans are that upset, why is GOP Assembly Leader Mike Villines still in power? Obviously Jerbal has an issue with Latino Republicans, otherwise he would be going after Villines too. Not to mention Anthony Adams…
As for Maldonado, wow, what an interesting turn of events…
