CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS / GOVERNOR : Feinstein Does a Star Turn for Key Eastern Democrats

Dianne Feinstein went calling on the capital’s Democratic Establishment on Tuesday and Wednesday to raise “a little money” and to persuade party leaders and professional organizers that her election as governor of California this fall is critical to future national Democratic fortunes.

Moving on from Capitol Hill to Wall Street tonight, Feinstein planned to carry the same message to blue-chip New York City fund-raisers at a small private dinner gathering to include Gov. Mario Cuomo and possibly Mayor David N. Dinkins.

Feinstein brought with her a political star quality that the East has not seen from California since Ronald Reagan swept into the presidency in 1981, according to one Democratic lawmaker. And several party insiders said Feinstein has demonstrated an impressive ability to unify disparate and sometimes-warring Democratic groups behind her candidacy.

Two symbols of that unity were at Feinstein’s side on Wednesday: running mate Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy, who was nominated independently in the June 5 primary for a third term, and Rep. Barbara Boxer of Greenbrae.

Although both are from San Francisco, Feinstein and McCarthy have not always been political allies. Nor have Democratic nominees for governor and lieutenant governor usually run as a team. But Feinstein said Wednesday, “I am delighted to have his participation.”

Boxer was the leading female supporter of Feinstein’s foe in the Democratic primary for governor, Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp, often calling Van de Kamp “the best feminist in the race.” But Boxer, a likely candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992, now is a vigorous fund-raising supporter of Feinstein.

Even jaded Washington pols who find candidates besieging them for help this summer were intrigued by Feinstein’s visit, although it was made without public fanfare and all of the events were closed to the media.

One reason for the attention is that Feinstein is perceived as being able to defeat Republican Sen. Pete Wilson in the nation’s most populous state, said Rep. Mel Levine of Santa Monica. Levine helped turn out contributors Tuesday evening for a $1,000-a-person reception at the fashionable northwest Washington home of David Bonderman, a well-connected capital lawyer.

“She has a star quality which excites,” Levine added. “There was an electricity, a buzz in the room, when she was there.”

Feinstein made no public comments during her visit, but during a brief interview she said she was stressing the national importance of the California governor’s race, in part because of its impact on reapportionment of the state’s congressional districts in 1991. California is expected to gain six or seven new seats in the U.S. House.

Republicans believe that California is critical if they have any hopes of capturing control of the House before the end of the century. As governor, Wilson could veto any reapportionment plan devised by the Democrat-controlled state Legislature that he believed was unfair to Republicans.

Feinstein also said her race with Wilson is “extraordinarily important (for) the opportunity to bring in the whole set of values, a much more activist governor, the problem solving, education, choice (on abortion)--all the big issues.”

In commenting that one goal of the trip was to pick up “a little money,” Feinstein was not necessarily indulging in understatement. Her Washington-based supporters said the major object was to cultivate campaign fund sources for later in the summer and fall--not just now. Her campaign needs to raise an estimated $10 million to $12 million.

As Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco put it, this trip was for sowing as well as reaping financial benefits.

The California Democratic congressional delegation originally hoped to raise $50,000 for Feinstein at Tuesday’s reception, but the final take may be close to $150,000, organizers said Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Feinstein was joined by McCarthy at a morning reception with about 75 representatives of women’s political groups, where Feinstein emphasized their unity on the abortion issue. Information packets given to guests included specific instructions on establishing political action committees empowered to contribute to California candidates under California law. There even was a secretary of state’s form for creating California PACs.