The state Senate voted Friday to confirm Steve Peace as Gov. Gray Davis' point man on the state budget.
Peace, who represented San Diego-area districts for 20 years before being termed out of the Legislature last year, took over as director of the Department of Finance in January. Peace spent three years as the Senate's top budget negotiator.

Support for Peace was not universal. Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Salinas, questioned Peace's legislative record -- including his support for previous budgets and his involvement in energy deregulation.

Peace was confirmed on a 32-6 vote. The finance director's job pays an annual salary of $131,412.