On the November 23, 2009, episode of The Jay Leno Show, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he was nominating Maldonado as Lieutenant Governor.
In 2010, he ran for the 15th District California State Senate seat that had been vacated when Republican Abel Maldonado was named Lieutenant Governor.
Maldonado | Maldonado, Uruguay | Abel Ferrara | Maldonado Department | Francisco Maldonado | Jessica Abel | Abel Gance | Tomás Maldonado | Niels Henrik Abel | Lady May Abel Smith | Deportivo Maldonado | Cain and Abel | Abel | Candy Maldonado | Abel Seyler | Abel Carlevaro | Walter Abel | Thomas Abel Brimage Spratt | Juan Maldonado | Jean-Pierre Abel-Rémusat | Henry Abel Smith | Gerry Abel | Charles Abel Buffum | Abel Servien | Abel P. Upshur | Abel Maldonado | Abel Hendy Jones Greenidge | Abel-François Villemain | Abel (film) | Abel Chapman |
Additionally, in February 2005, state bill SB 337 was introduced in California by State Senator Abel Maldonado, calling for the immediate dismissal of "any student convicted, pleading guilty to, or being adjudicated a delinquent minor with respect to specified rioting provisions of the Penal Code."