With the debate held in the heart of Silicon Valley, where green tech has become a major job creator, attention quickly turned to Proposition 23, which would suspend the state's ambitious carbon emission goals.
ABC7's Carolyn Tyler asked how they will vote. Maldonado said he will vote no on 23.
"If they hurt and they stifle job growth in California, I support a one-year moratorium. If after a year, they continue to stifle and don't allow us to grow in California, we have to put more of a moratorium. But this notion of just saying no to green technology is one that I can't support," said Maldonado.
Newsom had a similar, but more emphatic viewpoint.
"If you believe in jobs, and you believe in getting this economy moving again, if you believe in California's best days not being behind us but in front of us, you believe in a low carbon, green growth strategy. It's the one sector of the economy that's outperformed consistently over the last 15 years," said Newsom.
Both candidates brought up the term bully pulpit in their remarks as they outlined how they would use the lieutenant governorship to help solve the state's problems.
"I want to use that bully pulpit to organize with those other counties and those other county boards of supervisors, the city managers to organize. I care deeply about poverty, I care about homelessness. I want to regionalize our homeless efforts," said Newsom.
"I'm going to use the bully pulpit to work with the governor and if the next governor is Jerry Brown, he's going to have a partner, and if it's Meg Whitman, she's going to have a partner," said Maldonado.
Both Maldonado and Newsom got in jabs at each other; Maldonado blasting Newsom for using police for security for his Montana wedding and Newsom chiding Maldonado for raising tuition at the U.C. as a regent.
This was the second debate between the two lieutenant governor candidates. There is a possibility of a third one toward the end of next week in Southern California.
You can watch the full debate here or on ABC 7 Sunday at noon.
On Friday, we will host the candidates for state superintendent of schools on ABC7News.com at 11:15 a.m. and on TV Sunday at 1 p.m.
