CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS ’92 : Senate Races Take Ugly Turn as Negative TV Ads Increase : Campaign: Boxer links McCarthy and Levine to S & Ls. Davis’ ‘Helmsley’ commercial draws fire and Herschensohn portrays Campbell as a ‘chicken’ in faxes.

The war of the television spots intensified Friday as California’s historic U.S. Senate campaigns moved into their final days.

Candidates made a few speeches and press interviews and struggled to raise last-minute dollars. But it was television advertising and the ubiquitous faxes that gave the closing hours of the primary an angry edge.

Rep. Barbara Boxer, the first Democratic target of a negative ad, went on the offensive and took aim at her opponents, Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy and Rep. Mel Levine, with her own attack spot. The bitter debate between Republican contenders Bruce Herschensohn and Tom Campbell was ratcheted up another notch, with Herschensohn portraying Campbell as a “chicken.”

And controversy over an ad that compares former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein to felon Leona Helmsley continued to mount.

Californians are electing two senators this year for the first time in the state’s history. And with the possibility that women could win one or both of the Democratic primaries, the race is being watched closely as a barometer of the year’s political gains by women.

Despite the historical significance of the race, state officials are predicting one of the lowest voter turnouts ever for a presidential primary. Secretary of State March Fong Eu forecast a turnout of about 6 million voters, or 44.3% of the state’s registered electorate.

SIX-YEAR SEAT

Democrats: In the tight Democratic primary, Boxer began airing an ad that accuses her opponents, McCarthy and Levine, of taking money from the scandal-plagued savings and loan industry.

The 30-second spot shows pictures of McCarthy and Levine and says they both voted to change the rules governing S & L investments in 1982 as state assemblymen.

The ad first focuses on Levine, a five-term congressman from Santa Monica, citing a Common Cause report that showed he received $69,000 from S & L lobbyists, more than any Democrat in the House. Then the ad turns to McCarthy, referring to a $300,000 loan the lieutenant governor received from an S & L that failed.

“McCarthy and Levine, two of a kind,” the announcer says. “More of the same.”

Levine campaign spokeswoman Hope Warschaw said the congressman accepted S & L money when S & Ls were considered viable institutions that were good for the California consumer. When that changed, Levine returned the money from those institutions that failed, writing a check for $43,000 to the U.S. Treasury, Warschaw said.

Levine “is very disappointed that Barbara Boxer is slinking in the gutter of negative campaigning,” Warschaw said.

McCarthy campaign manager Roy Behr responded that the loan to McCarthy was a proper and legitimate loan that he paid back. The 1982 deregulation vote was made long before it was realized that S & Ls would be making shaky investments, he said.

“It’s clear they don’t have a whole lot to attack Leo with, so they are simply trying to use the words ‘S & L’ and ‘Leo’ in the same ad and hope no one will notice she’s not actually accusing him of doing anything wrong,” Behr said.

Republicans: The Republican race also represents a tight--and increasingly bitter--contest between the conservative television commentator from Los Angeles, Herschensohn, and Campbell, the moderate congressman from the Silicon Valley.

In his newest ad, Herschensohn accuses Campbell of distorting his position and demonstrating a “contempt for truth” that is “symbolic of what’s wrong with the arrogant, spoiled, liberal Congress.”

“Tom Campbell . . . will say ANYthing, ANYthing to discredit me to get your vote,” Herschensohn says in a 30-second spot.

In faxes, Herschensohn portrays Campbell with a drawing of a chicken. He accuses him of “chickening out” of several debates, including one on Saturday. Campbell’s campaign respond that they have attended at least seven debates throughout the season, including one scheduled for Sunday in San Diego.

Campbell previously has said in television ads that Herschensohn is “lying” about Campbell’s record.

TWO-YEAR SEAT

Democrats: The television commercial comparing Feinstein and Helmsley continued to attract attention. Feinstein’s opponent, state Controller Gray Davis, began airing the 30-second spot Wednesday. It attempts to capitalize on a civil lawsuit filed against Feinstein by the state Fair Political Practices Commission, alleging improper reporting of about $8 million in contributions and expenditures during her unsuccessful 1990 gubernatorial campaign.

Feinstein’s supporters labeled the ad “sleazy” and offensive to women and Jews.

“I’ve been around a long time and I’ve seen them all,” said veteran political expert and former Democratic National Committee member Roz Wyman, “and this tops them all. It’s a despicable commercial.”

Wyman, who supports Feinstein in this race but has supported Davis in the past, said it was a desperate attempt that will alienate many voters.

“He’s going to apologize the rest of his political career--if he has one left,” she said.

Davis, who on Friday spoke to university students in Davis, remained adamant about the ad.

“There are no plans to pull it or change it,” said Davis’ campaign spokesman, Scott Shaeffer. “The point is not the gender or religion of the people being compared. It’s their behavior.”

Republicans: Sen. John Seymour, the appointed incumbent, spent the day touring in Northern California, making campaign stops in Oakland, Redding and Bakersfield. His opponent, Rep. William Dannemeyer, held a fund-raiser in Escondido.

Times staff writer Douglas P. Shuit contributed to this report.