Dennis Morris

Despite not having any Democratic general election opponent - or, for that matter, leftover bills from a bruising primary - State Sen. Abel Maldonado is still collecting thousands in campaign contributions.

Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) reported $8,000 in donations late last week, though he's running for a second term against only third-party competition.

State Sen. Abel Maldonado will have a November challenger in the 15th State Senate District after all.

Independent Jim Fitzgerald, a retired UPS employee from Nipomo, has qualified for the Nov. 4 ballot to challenge Maldonado (R-Santa Maria).

A Pismo Beach attorney has been denied in his last-ditch effort to make the Nov.  4 ballot as a Democratic opponent for State Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria).

An attorney for the California Secretary of State's office sent the San Luis Obispo County Democratic Central Committee a letter last week that stated Dennis Morris' write-in candidacy in the June primary did not allow him to be placed on the November ballot if he didn't get enough votes.

State Sen. Abel Maldonado: Campaign phototA 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.

Attorney Dennis Morris is turning to the California State Constitution in his bid to be added to the ballot as a Democratic opponent to State Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria).

Morris, of Pismo Beach, cites Article II, Section 5(b) of the state constitution, which states that a party that participates in a primary election should not be denied the opportunity to place on the general ballot the party member who received the most votes in that primary.

For Morris, that would mean he could qualify for the ballot even though he apparently will fall short of the 3,689 votes needed as a primary write-in candidate to make the general election ballot.

Pismo Beach attorney Dennis Morris believes he's found a way to still get on tne November ballot as a Democratic opponent for 15th District State Senator Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria).

Morris, who previously attempted to get onto the ballot through a write-in vote in the June 3 primary, said he's found a provision of elections law that may get him there.