The plot thickens around Santa Maria Republican state Sen. Abel Maldonado's appointment to fill in for 10 months as lieutenant governor.
Three Democratic members of the Assembly held a press conference today to announce they'll oppose Maldonado for various reasons.
Assemblyman Pedro Nava, D-Santa Barbara, said Maldonado has voted against bills to increase access to health care, protect the environment and help farm laborers and other low-wage workers.
"He's voted no over and over and over again. So it's my turn to vote no," Nava said.
Nava also said, "What's the rush?" Voters have a chance to elect candidates in the primary in a matter of months. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to put Maldonado into the job now to fill in for John Garamendi, the Democrat who was elected to Congress last November.
All three Assembly members mounting the public case against Maldonado belong to the Legislature's all-Democratic Latino Caucus.
The trio weren't speaking for the caucus at their press event. But Assemblyman Jose Solorio, D-Anaheim, told the Bee that caucus members - faced with opposing a Latino from the other party - have held various discussions, "formal and informal" to debate the pros and cons of Maldonado's appointment.
Maldonado is currently the sole Latino GOP legislator. Some Democratic Party activists are concerned that elevating Maldonado to lieutenant governor could help generate Latino votes for the GOP gubernatorial candidate later this year.
At the press conference Solorio said, "This isn't about race."
He gave Maldonado a back-handed compliment by saying that he'd rather have Maldonado, considered a moderate, remain in the Senate to help out with budget votes.
"There just aren't enough of us in the Capitol," Solorio said, identifying himself as a moderate Democrat.
Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, D-Norwalk, who sits on the Assembly Rules Committee, said if Maldonado wants the lieutenant governor job, "let him run" for it.
"There are many of us in the Assembly who feel this is the wrong person," Mendoza said.
The Senate Rules Committee already gave a thumbs-up vote to Maldonado last week, with Democrats careful to say they felt only that Maldonado was qualified to fill in for 10 months.
The full Senate hasn't taken up the matter yet. Mendoza sits on the Assembly Rules Committee, so he'll get a crack at questioning Maldonado Tuesday.
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