Lieutenant governor nominee Abel Maldonado cleared his Senate Rules Committee confirmation hearing today with a 4-0 vote.
The Santa Maria Republican is Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's pick to fill the spot vacated by former Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, who was elected to Congress in a special election last November.
Rules Committee member Sen. Sam Aanestad, Maldonado's opponent in the Republican primary to be the next lieutenant governor, abstained from the vote.
Maldonado called today's vote the "first step in showing California we can work in a bipartisan way."
"The Lieutenant Governor's role is to be the public face of job creation in California," he said. "Today the committee sent a clear message to California citizens that jobs were a major priority in the Legislature, and I intend to put all of my energies into achieving that goal."
Senators pressed Maldonado on his past budget votes, as well as his positions on various aspects of Schwarzenegger's budget proposal, including a plan to allow new oil drilling off the Santa Barbara coast.
Schwarzenegger issued a statement commending the Rules committee for putting "Californians ahead of politics" and recommending Maldonado for the post.
"Senator Maldonado is an outstanding public servant who has worked across the political aisle to accomplish great things on behalf of all Californians," he said.
The green light from the committee was the first hurdle for Maldonado, who will now head to a vote on the Senate floor. Legislators in both houses have through Feb. 21 to confirm or reject the nomination. If they do not act by that time, he automatically assumes the job.
PHOTO: Maldonado casts his vote for the California State Budget Plan as the Senate passedthe California State budget plan on Feb. 19, 2009 at 4:51:43 a.m. Credit: Brian Baer/SacBee.
Post updated at 4:59 p.m. with quotes from Maldonado and Schwarzenegger.
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