If Lieutenant Gov. John Garamendi wins tomorrow's special election in the 10th Congressional District, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will have the option of tapping a replacement to fill the 'guv lite' gig until the November election.
The governor isn't required to name a replacement, and anyone he does pick is subject to confirmation by the Legislature, a complicating factor considering four state Senators have already thrown their hat in the ring to vie for the seat in 2010.
In today's Bee, Kevin Yamamura sorts through through a handful of names political consultants have pointed to as possible picks, including one Republican choice that could set off yet another special election that some say could be a big boost for Democrats seeking to secure a two-thirds majority in the Senate.
But there's another twist: Senate Democrats may have great incentive to cut a deal with Schwarzenegger to confirm [Republican Sen. Abel] Maldonado, said Tony Quinn, a former GOP legislative aide and editor of the nonpartisan California Target Book, which handicaps political races.
A Maldonado appointment would cause a special election for the 15th Senate District, a seat that would not otherwise open until 2012. Democrats now hold a six-point registration advantage there, and President Barack Obama won the district by 20 points. If Democrats think they can win it, they would pick up a 26th seat next year, one shy of a two-thirds majority.
[Republican consultant Matt] Rexroad said it would be a hard-fought race, "certainly not a slam-dunk for Democrats." But Quinn said, "If they think it through, it could be an important factor because it's an excellent opportunity to pick up 26."
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