SACRAMENTO, CA --
Republican Abel Maldonado has been sworn in as California's new lieutenant governor. Maldonado took the oath of office from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger during a ceremony at the state capitol Tuesday.
The former state senator from Santa Maria is now the first Latino to hold statewide office since the 1870s.
Maldonado was nominated for the post after the former lieutenant governor, John Garamendi was elected to Congress last year.