Filling Maldonado's seat could cost Calif.

SACRAMENTO, CA (KGO) -- There is a new controversy over Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's nomination of Republican legislator Abel Maldonado for lieutenant governor.

State Senate President Darrell Steinberg says a special election would have to be held to replace Maldonado as state senator, and that could cost $2 million. Steinberg says the state cannot afford it.

Maldonado represents an area stretching from Santa Barbara to Santa Clara County.

Steinberg says he worries about filling the lieutenant governor's job with any elected official.

The seat opened up when John Garamendi was elected to Congress for the East Bay congressional seat vacated by Ellen Tauscher.

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california budget crisis, politics

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