Delegates Call Economy Race’s Top Issue : Survey: Area Democrats will bring a variety of viewpoints to the convention. Most back Clinton, but some remain loyal to Brown.

Ventura County delegates and alternates to the Democratic National Convention overwhelmingly believe that the country is headed in the wrong direction and that the economy will be the overriding issue in the fall presidential campaign.

Six of the nine county delegates believe that presumptive Democratic nominee Bill Clinton can attract enough votes nationally to win the election. However, all but one believe Clinton will not carry the two Republican-leaning congressional districts that encompass Ventura County.

Additionally, only three of the county’s delegates say Clinton is the strongest possible Democratic candidate.

And many delegates pledged to former California Gov. Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown Jr. said they would join him if he stages a walkout of the convention for any reason.

These were among the findings of a survey done by The Times of the Ventura County and San Fernando Valley delegates to the Democratic convention, which begins Monday in New York City. The survey was conducted by telephone between June 25 and July 6.

Thirty-nine of the 45 delegates and alternates from those areas participated in the interviews; six refused. All nine from Ventura County cooperated.

The participants, including 17 men and 22 women, included 20 of 21 Clinton delegates and alternates and 15 of 19 delegates and alternates for Brown. Four of the five “super delegates” from the Valley who are not pledged to any candidate participated as well.

The delegates and alternates are a diverse array of elected officials, campaign volunteers and party and labor activists. Their ranks include teachers, attorneys, union leaders, retirees and aides to city, county and state legislators.

The survey found that the conventioneers tend to be liberal, well-educated, affluent and professional. About half qualify as “baby boomers,” between the ages of 31 and 45, and nearly three out of five will be attending their first national convention.

All but two consider themselves supporters of abortion rights. Nearly two-thirds opposed the Persian Gulf War. Half think that taxes will have to be raised and spending reduced to balance the federal budget; just over a quarter think the red ink can be eliminated solely by cutting spending.

All 39 have some college education; 22 attended graduate school. A third reported that they make more than $100,000 a year; three-quarters earn more than $50,000. Only two delegates make less than $20,000. Delegates generally must pay their own way to the convention, a costly undertaking.

The delegates’ views reflect the uncertainties of this tempestuous election year. Nearly four in 10 think that undeclared candidate Ross Perot could be elected President as an independent in November, even though more than three-quarters have an unfavorable impression of the Texas billionaire.

Only five had a favorable impression of Perot. Four others said they didn’t know what to make of him.

President Bush fared even worse. Nearly nine out of 10 of the Valley and Ventura County Democratic delegates said they had a “very unfavorable” impression of the Republican incumbent; the rest said their view was “somewhat unfavorable.”

All but one of the delegates and alternates said things in the country today “have gotten seriously off on the wrong track.” As a further reflection of that concern, three-quarters of those interviewed said they expect the economy to be one of the most decisive issues in the fall campaign. Although respondents were allowed to cite two issues, nothing else was close.

In addition to the economy, a quarter of the respondents said the Democrats should seek to make education one of the most important issues this November.

“We’re rapidly declining from being a world power, and we’re going to be a second-rate nation in a very short period of time, which means a reduction in the quality of life for the people of this country,” said Barry Hammitt of Ventura, executive director of Service Employees International Union Local 998 and a Brown delegate.

“In California, we have budget deficits at all levels of government, we have reductions of services in all areas, we’re cutting back on education, we’re cutting back on health care to the citizens. The main issue that everybody is talking about is jobs and the economy.”

Meanwhile, the delegates’ view of Clinton, while generally favorable, reflects some of the misgivings that have dogged the candidate through a grueling primary campaign. This is particularly so among supporters of Brown, who has been harshly critical of Clinton and has yet to endorse the presumptive party nominee.

Nearly three-quarters of the respondents said they have a favorable impression of Clinton and more than half said very favorable. The remaining delegates who had negative views were all pledged to Brown--including eight who said their impression of Clinton was very unfavorable.

Nearly four-fifths of the conventioneers said they will strongly support Clinton.

“I think he’s a man of vision and intelligence,” said Julia Carrasco-Mitnick of Ventura, a member of the Ventura County Democratic Central Committee and a Clinton delegate.

“He’s concerned about the issues that concern me, which are education, the economy and children. And I’m impressed by his background, where he came from and his overcoming the odds in rising to his level of education and governmental service.”

Nineteen of the 39 delegates and alternates said that Clinton would be the strongest candidate the Democrats could nominate. Eight of the Brown delegates said that their candidate, a three-time presidential contender, would be the best nominee. And seven respondents named New York Gov. Mario M. Cuomo--who considered running but decided not to do so--to be the ideal candidate.

The delegates generally believe that Clinton was damaged by his earlier handling of questions concerning marijuana use, marital infidelity and his draft record. But, in general, they tend to see the lasting impact as minor.

Twenty-three respondents said that Clinton’s handling of the marijuana issue had resulted in minor damage; four said it caused major damage. Another 11 said it had left no damage.

A total of 24 respondents said Clinton’s handling of questions regarding an alleged affair with a former nightclub singer inflicted minor or major damage. And 23 said that his handling of issues surrounding his alleged efforts to avoid the Vietnam draft inflicted minor or major damage. In both cases, most delegates said the harm was minor.

But Joyce Thompson of Moorpark, a management consultant and Brown delegate, said she was concerned that the damage was deep enough to undermine Clinton’s ability to win.

“He couldn’t really be honest with the public when those things came up,” Thompson said. “That’s one of the mires that we have to get out of in the current Republican administration.”

Thompson, however, was in the minority. Two-thirds of the respondents said they believe the Democrats will regain the White House in November. About a fifth think Bush will be reelected; the rest said they were uncertain about the outcome.

“If Clinton can frame the issues where he shows that he’s got some vision and direction and has the mind-set to make some changes, maybe people will be able to overlook those things,” union organizer Hammitt said.

If Clinton loses, seven delegates said they would like to see him as the party’s nominee again in 1996. Under those circumstances, 10 Brown delegates said they hope to see their candidate win the party’s nomination in four years.

Brown, whose delegate count is second only to Clinton’s, has not made his plans for the convention clear. He is the only one of the major Democratic candidates for the nomination with no prescribed role.

Clinton said after meeting with Brown last week that his last opponent intended to have his name placed in nomination, assuring himself a role in the convention program.

Brown had been unsuccessful in his efforts to push the platform to the left. Most recently, he predicted, rather enigmatically, “a creative convention experience.”

Brown has sympathy among the Valley and Ventura representatives extending beyond his own delegates. Two-thirds of the respondents said he should be allowed to give a prime-time speech. Another third said that he should not be permitted to do so.

And Brown delegates expressed considerable loyalty. Many Brown delegates from the area were either full-time volunteers or high-level staff members in his campaign.

Asked whether they would join the insurgent candidate if he decides to walk out of the convention for any reason, 11 said they would do so. The other four said they were uncertain what they would do.

“It would partly depend on the circumstances, but I can’t see any reason why I would not” follow him, said Jane Tolmach, a former Oxnard mayor and a Brown delegate. “It’s a major mistake for Clinton and the whole party not to have responded to his requests for party reform” of such issues as the nomination process and limits on campaign contributions.

Times polling analyst Susan Pinkus contributed to this story.

Delegates’ Composite Profile

Who Are They?

Thirty-nine of 45 delegates to the Democratic Convention from Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley participated in this survey. Nine are from Ventura County.

Seventeen interviewees are men and 22 women.

They include elected officials, campaign volunteers and party and labor activists.

Their ranks include teachers, attorneys, union leaders, retirees and aides to city, county and state legislators.

They tend to be liberal, well-educated, affluent and professional.

All have some college education; 22 attended graduate school.

A third reported that they make more than $100,000 a year; three-quarters earn more than $50,000.

What Do They Believe?

Only three of the Ventura County delegates say Clinton is the strongest possible Democratic candidate.

Nearly four-fifths of the conventioneers said they will strongly support Clinton.

All but two of the 39 delegates consider themselves supporters of abortion rights.

Nearly two-thirds opposed the Persian Gulf War.

Half think that taxes will have to be raised and spending reduced to balance the federal budget.

Just over a quarter think the red ink can be eliminated solely by cutting spending.

Only five had a favorable impression of Ross Perot.

Eleven delegates pledged to former California Gov. Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown Jr. said they will join him if he stages a walkout of the convention for any reason.