Beef

Abel Maldonado Crashes Gavin Newsom’s Party at Cafe De Camacho

It surely must have looked like a drama-free bet on paper. Yesterday, Gavin Newsom, former San Francisco mayor and current candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California, stumped with powerful Latino leaders like Antonio Villaraigosa and Dolores Huerta at Downtown L.A.’s Cafe De Camacho. But L.A. Times reports a fly in the sopa arrived when Republican Abel Maldonado, Newsom’s bitter rival, showed up at the restaurant first, taking a table in the back of the room with some cronies, but keeping mostly mum. Dressed in gator boots and a gray suit, Maldonado munched on a banana muffin, sipped coffee, and smiled while Newsom supporters rallied and decried the opposing candidate’s record on immigrant rights and farm safety issues. While Newsom enjoys the recent endorsement of La Opinion and the support of many influential community leaders, Maldonado defends his unexpected appearance through a somewhat sinister understatement, saying he was “Just getting coffee. We were a little thirsty.”

Gavin Newsom stumps for the Latino vote – and gets a surprise visit from Abel Maldonado [L.A. Times]

Abel Maldonado Crashes Gavin Newsom’s Party at Cafe De Camacho