Category: Abel Maldonado

California Republican Convention Reveals Stunningly Out Of Touch Party Unable To Win In California

March 14, 2010 by Calitics

Walking around at the California Republican Party convention in Santa Clara on Friday night, I could see signs that the GOP has renewed confidence going into 2010. But I also saw signs that this confidence is misplaced and frankly delusional. Although 2010 might be more favorable to California Republicans than most elections since 1994, the extreme right-wing nature of the party, their desire to undermine everything President Obama has done, and their insistence on attacking anyone who needs government assistance - especially if they aren't white - combines to produce a set of candidates that should be outright unelectable, if California Democrats are able to run quality campaigns that motivate and mobilize their base.

One of the more telling moments at the convention was, as Brian noted, the chilly reception Abel Maldonado's plea for genuine outreach to Latinos received.

Maldonado Tries To Break Through the GOP's Nativism

March 14, 2010 by Calitics

Abel Maldonado is running for LG, whether or not he gets confirmed by the Legislature.  Just going on resources, Maldonado should have a big leg up.  Sen. Sam Anestad, the only serious threat to Maldonado in the primary, had less than $100K at the end of last year.  At this point, the race is his to lose.

So, in his speaking slot, Maldonado is trying to recast the framing of Latinos in his party.

"They agree with us more than they agree with the Democrats," Maldonado told the delegates. "But we don't talk to them. Ronald Reagan, our great president, what did he say? 'Hispanics are Republicans. They just don't know it.' We can't put up a bumper sticker during an election that says 'Viva the candidate's last name' and expect that they're going to vote for us. It's not going to happen. We can't go out and have a fiesta and have tequila and mariachis and tacos and think they are going to register as Republicans. That's not going to happen." (LA Times)

Of course, there's a lot to parse here. Of course, he's right that the republicans need to do more than just have a Cinco de Mayo party and expect voters to come running.

Maldonado To Be Confirmed as Lt. Gov. In Late April?

March 8, 2010 by Calitics

That's what the San Francisco Chronicle's Matier and Ross are reporting this morning:

Despite his failure to win confirmation in the state Assembly, state Sen. Abel Maldonado is likely to become California's interim lieutenant governor sometime in May.

In the weeks since the heavily Democratic Assembly refused to confirm him, Republican Maldonado has met repeatedly with new Democratic Assembly Speaker John P?rez.

P?rez told Maldonado to sit tight and wait, "until cooler heads prevail."

Those in the know tell us the "cooler heads" will prevail around the end of April. If lawmakers wait that long, Maldonado's Senate replacement would be chosen in the November general election, rather than in an earlier special election that would yield a lower turnout.

With a big turnout, Democrats believe they'd have a better shot of winning Maldonado's district, which runs from just south of San Jose all the way to Santa Barbara County.

One of the main reasons we'd heard that the Assembly rejected the Maldonado nomination last month was concern about how John Laird, the likely Democratic candidate for SD-15, would fare in a special election that would coincide with the June primary. I am absolutely confident that Laird would have won anyway.