Campaign Talk : A window on the California elections.

95 days left to register to vote before the Oct. 9 deadline.

123 days left until the Nov. 6 general election.

INTELLIGENCE

Gender on parade: Pete Wilson contends that the gubernatorial race against Dianne Feinstein will not be decided on the basis of gender--but just in case, he has rallied a host of prominent women Republicans to campaign on his behalf. Due in during the summer and fall are the First and Second ladies, Barbara Bush and Marilyn Quayle, as well as former First Lady Betty Ford, Labor Secretary Elizabeth Dole, U.S. Trade Representative Carla Anderson Hills and other Bush Administration women. The male side of the surrogate slate is also quite full, with commitments received from almost half the Bush Cabinet, including drug czar William Bennett, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Jack Kemp, Treasury Secretary Nicholas F. Brady and Secretary of Commerce Robert Mosbacher. The two top Republicans--George Bush and Dan Quayle--are expected to make repeated forays into California.

Reiner’s silence: On Democratic primary night, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner announced before every TV news camera in sight at the Biltmore Hotel that he had won the race for state attorney general. Since finding out hours later that he actually had lost to his San Francisco counterpart, Arlo Smith, Reiner hasn’t been so forthcoming. In fact, the two-term Los Angeles prosecutor has never emerged publicly to concede his defeat. Nor has Reiner sat down yet with Smith, who said Reiner called him up the morning after the June 5 primary to offer his support. Has Reiner been avoiding Smith? “I don’t know, you’ll have to ask him,” Smith said. Reiner has proven unavailable for comment on the matter or, for that matter, any matter.

Looking ahead: Expect to hear in coming months about “greenscam.” It’s a word environmentalists have coined for the practice of non-environmentalists masquerading as environmentalists at election time.

WHO VOTES

The California Electorate for the June 5 Primary

Listed below are the results of a Los Angeles Times exit poll for the California June 5 Primary Election, compared with the state’s voting-age population. The results show that Latinos, women, lower-income residents, and Los Angeles - area voters were underrepresented in the voting booth. ETHIC BACKGROUND

State Voting Primary Voters Age Population Latino 6% 13% Anglo 83% 74% Black 9% 7% Other 2% 6%

SEX

State Voting Primary Voters Age Population Male 57% 48% Female 43% 52%

INCOME

State Voting Primary Voters Age Population Less than $20,000 13% 23% $20,000 to $40,000 31% 33% More than $40,000 56% 36% Don’t know 0% 8%

CALIFORNIA AREAS

State Voting Primary Voters Age Population Los Angeles 20% 29% Rest of south 43% 31% Bay Area 11% 12% Rest of north 26% 28%

Source: The Los Angeles Times Poll

Compiled by Times editorial researcher Michael Meyers

SOUNDINGS

From Dianne Feinstein, responding to Sen. Pete Wilson’s taunt that she cannot be found on the campaign trail:

“You don’t have to worry about me showing up.”

From Patricia Garamendi, denying that it is presumptuous to start campaigning for her husband’s Senate seat before he vacates it (Sen. John Garamendi of Walnut Gove won the Democratic nomination for state insurance commissioner):

“I know I’m running. I know the seat is going to be open, and I need the time to reach this large district.”

From Richie Ross, campaign manager for John Van de Kamp’s failed gubernatorial bid, explaining to the Associated Press why he did not worry about newspaper information boxes that dissect TV political ads:

“I’m not worried about what newspapers say on Page 3. I’m worried about Page 1. So unless you’re way out of line, the truth boxes don’t have any effect.”

EXIT LINE

“Yes, if she’s a Republican.”--Gov. George Deukmejian’s response when asked if California is ready for a woman governor.