Gay, Feminist Group Endorses Van de Kamp : Politics: The influential Stonewall Club backs the attorney general over Dianne Feinstein in the Democratic gubernatorial race.

Despite a no-show by her Democratic Party opponent and heavy applause for her pledge to support homosexual rights, gubernatorial candidate Dianne Feinstein on Monday lost the endorsement of an influential gay and feminist organization in Los Angeles.

The Stonewall Democratic Club, based in West Hollywood and Silverlake, voted to endorse Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp for governor after Feinstein and a Van de Kamp representative debated for about an hour during a club dinner at the Acapulco restaurant in Hollywood.

The endorsement may not sway the Democratic primary, Stonewall leaders said, but it can be influential. The club distributes a “slate sheet”--a sample ballot advertising its endorsements--throughout the community and can effectively motivate donations, volunteers and votes, they said.

“Dianne wouldn’t have come if she didn’t think it was an important endorsement,” said Zeke Zeidler, a club member. “It’s obvious how important these endorsements are in terms of how the candidates cherish them.”

Sheila Kuehl, managing attorney for the Southern California Women’s Law Center, spoke for Van de Kamp at the debate. Stonewall leaders said the attorney general did not appear because the club failed to confirm the date with him. But he will appear at a March 11 lunch, they said.

Both Feinstein and Van de Kamp were praised at the debate for supporting AIDS research and victims’ rights. They also were applauded for pledging to sign homosexual rights legislation and to maintain abortion rights.

Kuehl was questioned primarily about Van de Kamp’s stance on abortion. Van de Kamp has said he does not advocate abortion but will support a woman’s right to choose, a position that feminists have described as too weak.

Feinstein came under fire over other issues: Vetoing in the mid-1980s a law that would have granted benefits to partners of gay city employees; supporting mandatory AIDS testing of prisoners and marriage applicants; and supporting Republican Sen. Pete Wilson’s “Speedy Trial” initiative, which some, including Van de Kamp, believe would limit privacy rights.

Feinstein was applauded after many of her statements, however. Several of Kuehl’s comments brought hisses from the audience, made up of about 125 mainly white and professional men and women, and some members said afterward they thought she was too “negative” because of what they interpreted as remarks attacking Feinstein.

But Van de Kamp was endorsed 31 to 11 by voting members of Stonewall, and members said they were not surprised.

“Familiarity was the prominent issue,” said Morris Kight, co-founder of the Stonewall club. “Van de Kamp knows a good many members of the club and has done many things for the gay and lesbian community.”

Stonewall, with about 300 members, is one of the largest gay and lesbian groups in the state. The vote for Van De Kamp completes a list of endorsements by the club for upcoming elections. Many other candidates for state and congressional offices already have appeared before the group to be interviewed or to debate their Democratic Party contenders, members said.

“Stonewall has never had a problem turning out who we want in terms of candidates,” said Miki Jackson, a vice president of the group. “It’s hard to remember anyone ever turning us down.”