Davis Joins Field for Senate Races : Politics: Democratic controller will oppose Feinstein in primary for Seymour’s seat. For the first time in state history, both offices will be decided in same election.

The field of candidates for California’s unprecedented dual-seat U.S. Senate election in 1992 appeared to be set Thursday, with Democratic Controller Gray Davis declaring he will run for the two-year Senate seat now held by appointed Republican Sen. John Seymour.

Davis would battle former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein for the Democratic nomination in the June 2 primary election. Feinstein, 57, announced for the Seymour seat in January. By entering early, she hoped to preempt the Democratic field and escape any intraparty primary fight.

But Davis told supporters at a Beverly Hills fund-raising party Wednesday: “I am running against John Seymour in the U.S. Senate. . . . I’m the only Democrat who can win this race.”

As of now, there are 10 major Democratic and Republican candidates for the side-by-side campaigns in 1992--the first time in California history that both Senate seats have been at stake in the same election.

It guarantees major contests in both the Republican and Democratic primary battles for the two seats.

The unique Senate sweepstakes is a result of Republican Pete Wilson’s election as governor in 1990 over Feinstein, who believes she would have won had she not had to wage a bitter primary battle with former Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp.

After his election, Wilson resigned from the U.S. Senate seat two years into his second term. On Jan. 2, he appointed Seymour, then a state senator from Orange County, to serve until the next general election.

Sen. Alan Cranston’s regular six-year term expires at the end of 1992. Beset by illness and the savings and loan scandal, Cranston decided not to seek reelection to the post he has held since 1968.

Also on Thursday, Republican sources said it is increasingly unlikely that any major new GOP candidate will enter the contest for Cranston’s seat, which now pits moderate Rep. Tom Campbell of Stanford against conservative broadcast commentator Bruce Herschensohn of Los Angeles. Some party officials had been trying to recruit a strong wild-card candidate who might have broader appeal among all Republicans.

Although candidates have until March 6 to file, state Republican Chairman Jim Dignan of Fresno said that Jan. 1 is as late as anyone could enter a Senate race with a realistic chance of winning. But Dignan said he is unaware of any other GOP entries.

Among Democrats, some insiders have speculated that Davis, the former assemblyman and once chief of staff to Gov. Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown Jr., might ultimately decide not to run. Even on Thursday, Kam Kuwata, Feinstein’s campaign manager, said “you hear whispers” to that effect. Kuwata, who used to be Davis’ political consultant, claimed that Davis really wants to be governor, not senator.

Davis insisted to a reporter that he is in the race to stay.

His Wednesday night declaration, pending a formal announcement in November, seemed to further discount recurring speculation that Rep. Mel Levine of Los Angeles might change his plans and seek Seymour’s seat rather than Cranston’s.

Levine has insisted he wants the six-year Cranston seat. But the rumor mill bubbled this summer with a scenario that had Levine jumping into the two-year contest because Seymour seemed ripe for defeat. Rumor discounters said, however, that Levine might have more trouble getting into the runoff if he had to run against Feinstein in the primary.

For now, Levine is considered by many Democratic handicappers as the favorite in a three-way Democratic nomination contest for the Cranston seat, against Rep. Barbara Boxer of Marin County and Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy.

Karin Caves, a Levine aide, said Thursday that Levine is 99% committed to running for the six-year post with plans to make a formal announcement in December.

Most Democrats agree there is no chance that Levine and Davis will wind up in the same race since both are allied with the political association of Reps. Henry Waxman and Howard Berman, and both share much of the same base of financial support. As the Waxman-Berman favorite son, these sources said, Levine would have his choice of contests and Davis would have to take what was left over.

In his talk to wealthy backers, Davis described Feinstein as “a perfectly fine person,” but said potential voters sampled in the most recent California Poll favored Davis over Seymour by 16% while Feinstein would win by only 6%, down from 14% in a previous survey.

Davis did not mention that the same poll showed that potential Democratic voters preferred Feinstein over Davis in a primary election 53% to 34%.

Davis’ address emphasized his support for women’s issues, the environment and the creation of a healthier California economic climate.

Programs Democrats care about have suffered in the recession “because people weren’t working,” Davis said. “So let’s not pretend the economy’s none of our business. If we care about the schools and the homeless and the mentally ill, we’ve got to care about the economy.”

Feinstein spokesman Kuwata responded, “I cannot think of any issue where you could say that he has a better record than Dianne.”

In the Running

The field of candidates appears to be set for the two U.S. Senate seats at stake in the 1992 California elections: THE SIX-YEAR TERM

For the seat held since 1968 by Democrat Alan Cranston, who is not seeking reelection. Republicans

Rep. Tom Campbell, 39, Stanford. In his second U.S. House term, the moderate Silicon Valley successor to Rep. Ed Zschau, the 1986 Republican Senate nominee who lost to Cranston.

Bruce Herschensohn, 59, Los Angeles. Former aide to President Richard Nixon, conservative radio and television political commentator. Polled nearly 600,000 votes in 1986 GOP Senate primary, losing to Zschau.

Sonny Bono, 56. Onetime entertainer, now mayor of Palm Springs.

Bill Franklin, 59. Corona mayor pro tem, retired Anaheim police captain. Democrats

Rep. Barbara Boxer, 51, Greenbrae. In fifth term in U.S. House after six years as Marin County supervisor.

Rep. Mel Levine, 48, Los Angeles. A fifth-term House member, state assemblyman from 1977-1982.

Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy, 61, San Francisco. In third term as lieutenant governor. State assemblyman 1969-1982, Assembly Speaker 1974-1980. Democratic nominee for Senate in 1988, lost to Pete Wilson. THE TWO-YEAR TERM

For the final two years of the Senate term given up by Pete Wilson when he became governor. Wilson appointed State. Sen. John Seymour to the vacancy until the opening of Congress in January, 1993. The seat will be up in 1994 for a full six-year elected term. Republicans

Sen. John Seymour, 53, Anaheim. Realtor and banker, former Anaheim mayor, state senator from Orange County 1982-1991.

Rep. William E. Dannemeyer, 62, Fullerton. Attorney, state assemblyman for six years, serving in U.S. House since 1979.

William Allen, 47, Claremont. Member of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.

Dr. Jim Trinity, 49, Glendale. Retired dentist. Democrats

State Controller Gray Davis, 46. In second term as controller after four years in State Assembly and seven years as chief of staff to then-Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.

Dianne Feinstein, 57. San Francisco mayor 1978-88. Democratic nominee for governor in 1990, losing to Wilson by 3.5%.