Cake and Handshakes: Lt. Gov Abel Maldonado campaigns to keep his job—and stumps for Prop 14
Cake and Handshakes
Lt. Gov Abel Maldonado campaigns to keep his job—and stumps for Prop 14
Monday, June 7, 2010
Maldonado worked the room at Rosine's, table hopping and posing for photos as diners tucked into four inch high club sandwiches and massive burgers at the downtown Monterey eatery on election eve.
The lieutenant governor is well ahead of rival State Senator Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley) according to a Survey USA poll, while a variety of polls predict Maldonado-backed Prop 14, the open primary initiative, will sail through easily on election night.
Prop 14 would have primary voters choose their top pick from the entire field of Democrats, Republicans and candidates of other flavors; the top two regardless of party would appear on the November general election ballot. Maldonado argues the initiative will fix Sacramento's broken system by electing more moderate candidates. Analysts say Prop 14 probably would bring more moderate candidates to office, but the Public Policy Institute of California and the Center for Governmental Studies both find the open primary would favor those with big bucks. Other critics argue it would squeeze out small parties.
Jack Freese of Salinas chatted pleasantly with Maldonado during lunch at Rosine's. Then, he said, "I'll be glad when it [the campaign] is over. I'm tired of the lies."
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