An Almaden Valley Republican Fist-Fight? (Take Maldonado in the 3rd Round...)

There is an inside-the-Republican party spat happening and San Jose's Almaden Valley is ground zero.

On one side, you have State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner who thinks the May ballot measures that we'll all be voting on as part of the State's budget "fix" are a bad idea. Not coincidently, Poizner is running in a Republican primary for Governor in 2010. In Republican primary, out-Republicaning other Republicans is important. Therefore, Poizner has been traveling the State expressing his (negative) views on these ballot measures and bashing the Republican Legislators that voted for them...

Which brings us to State Senator Abel Maldonado, who was one of those Republican Legislators that voted for the budget package and is traveling the State trying to get folks to vote yes on these measures. He thinks Poizner is full of it and Maldonado is accusing Poizner of ballot measure grand-standing. Maldonado is basically saying that Poizner is choosing political expediency over good public policy...say it ain't so Abel!

So, how does Almaden Valley become ground zero for this battle? Let Watch Dog bring you back to 2004...

In 2004, Steve Poizner ran for State Assembly (remember the $6 million man) at the same time that State Senator Abel Maldando was running for State Senate. The State Assembly District that Poizner was running for overlapped with the State Senate District Maldanado was running for in San Jose's Almaden Valley. (It also happened to overlap with City Council District 10. In 2004, Nancy Pyle beat Rich De La Rosa for that City Council seat...)

To bring this issue to a conclusion, Watch Dog proposes a fist-fight between Abel Maldonado and Steve Poizner (with Rich De La Rosa as the referee?) to be held in Pat Dando's backyard. The safe money is on Maldonado...