Posted on 05/22/2008 4:13:52 PM PDT by calcowgirl
Republican Sen. Abel Maldonado is running for reelection this year - as both a Republican and a Democrat.
The Santa Maria lawmaker turned in signatures earlier this week to qualify himself as a write-in candidate in the Democratic primary of his 15th Senate District, though he is already unopposed for the GOP nomination.
Maldonado's campaign said the rare move was intended to give the moderate Republican's Democratic supporters - including his mom - the right to vote for him in the primary.
"Abel's mother, who is a Democrat, said, 'Son, I want to vote for you in the Democratic primary and I want it to count,' " said Brandon Gesicki, Maldonado's campaign manager. So the campaign gathered the necessary signatures this Monday and turned them in Tuesday, Gesicki said.
But Maldonado's write-in bid also serves a less familial, more partisan purpose.
By running now as a Democrat, Maldonado could beat back the underfunded Democratic write-in candidacy of local attorney Dennis Morris, who is hoping to face Maldonado in November.
"Abel Maldonado, in a Soviet Politburo style move, has employed (a write-in campaign) to deny Central Coast voters a choice in the November election," is how Robert Cruickshank, a blogger on the liberal Calitics blog, put it.
Under state law, candidates in California can't "crossfile" to be on the ballot for both major parties. But a Republican, such as Maldonado, can run as a write-in Democrat, and vice versa.
(snip)
Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, gave Maldonado a half-hearted welcome to the Democratic fold.
"If he's halfway across the street," said Perata, "I encourage him to come the whole way."
Perata incurred the ire of liberal activists last summer when he said he would "knock on doors" for Maldonado after he voted for last year's budget.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Arnold’s able lapdog has almost acknowledged his true home.
If the move was to screw the Dems out of having a viable candidate, I think it’s hilarious.
woof.. woof woof.
Abel votes as a dem on key legislation, anyway.
Spending, borrowing, minimum wage. The (R) means nothing to him.
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