[img_assist|nid=1424|title=State Sen. Abel Maldonado|desc=Campaign photot|link=none|align=left|width=154|height=173]A campaign spokesman for California State Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) was skeptical Wednesday of an effort by a Pismo Beach attorney to get onto the November ballot to oppose the incumbent senator as a Democrat.

Brandon Gesicki, who has also worked for Maldonado's legislative staff, said the argument Dennis Morris is making in his bid doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

"I think he's strongly misinterpreting the statute," Gesicki said. "If he's right, then that would mean primaries are meaningless, and it doesn't matter who gets the most votes if party bosses want to pick their own candidate."

Morris ran as a write-in Democratic candidate in the June 3 primary in Maldonado's 15th Senate District. He appears to have fallen short of a necessary vote total to qualify for the November ballot to oppose Maldonado, who had no challengers who filed the normal paperwork to run.

However, Morris has said a provision of the state constitution allows a party to put a candidate on the general election ballot if he or she received most of the votes in the primary election. He lobbied party groups in the district this week to urge the Secretary of State's office to put him on the November ballot.

Morris noted that a court has found the constitution's provision does not apply to write-in candidates.

Gesicki said that's a mark against Morris' hopes. "I'm unaware of any case law that supports his position," Gesicki said.

Gesicki would not speculate on a potential race between Maldonado and Morris if Morris' contention holds up. "That kind of talk on a potential race is premature," Gesicki said.

Maldonado, who often crosses party lines on important votes, is in a potential swing district along California's central coast.

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