The Buzz: Senate seat moves to suit stage

Sacramento Bee ^ | 5/7/10 | Dan Smith & Torey Van Oot

[SmithL]

How bad do the Democrats want to win the Senate seat vacated by newly crowned Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado?

First they strung out Republican Maldo's confirmation in the Assembly to force – they thought – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to make the special election for the Senate seat the same day as the general election in November. That, the Dems figured, would let them take advantage of the largest possible voter turnout and give them the best chance to capture the Central Coast Senate seat.

But the Republican governor is still a Republican, and he called for a special election in the dead of summer.

The Democrats tried bashing Schwarzenegger for the cost of the earlier vote – an estimated $3.5 million – but he wasn't moved.

Nothing left to do but sue. . . .

[SmithL]

HECTOR AMEZCUA
Abel Maldonado, left, and Gov. Schwarzenegger celebrate after Maldonado was sworn in as California's lieutenant governor last month. Democrats are seeking to move the date of the election to fill Maldonado's old Senate seat from summer to November.