CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS : Winners Look Toward Tilting House Balance : Congress: Republicans are optimistic of making gains against decades-old dominance. But Democrats see possibility of victory against embattled candidates.

Now that the matchups are set, victorious congressional nominees from both parties on Wednesday were looking toward November in hopes of tilting the balance of power in the influential California House delegation.

The Republicans have reason to be optimistic, given the historical propensity for voters to toss out House members of the President’s party. Feasting on President Clinton’s political and personal missteps, members of the GOP have already predicted picking up three to five seats in the state delegation--possibly upsetting the Democrats’ 30-22 edge.

“I look at the Republican and Democratic turnout numbers in some of the competitive districts, and they’re very appealing,” said Rep. Chris Cox (R-Newport Beach), the California representative to the National Republican Congressional Committee.

But Democrats are not throwing their hands up in despair. In several Republican-leaning districts, they see a chance for victory in the form of embattled or non-traditional GOP candidates.

Rep. Vic Fazio (D-West Sacramento), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (who breezed to victory in his 3rd District), analyzed the political landscape Wednesday and liked what he saw.

“We look pretty good. I’m prepared to say we’ll not lose any seats--and may gain some.”

But there’s more at stake than just the political makeup of the state delegation. Almost one of every eight seats in the House is from California, and a poor showing by the Republicans during this opportune midterm election could derail the GOP’s nationwide effort to erode the decades-old Democratic House majority.

Two Southern California seats, GOP-friendly on paper, illustrate the Republicans’ difficulties.

Exhibit A: In the 44th District, encompassing the eastern Riverside County towns of Palm Springs, Moreno Valley, Indio and Blythe, Republicans have put up former entertainer Sonny Bono. The diminutive, grinning Bono, who gained fame as the klutzy, bell-bottomed foil to Cher’s earthy brand of sophistication, is a former Palm Springs mayor. But the perception of him as a political lightweight is expected to become a Democratic campaign anthem.

An ebullient Bono said Wednesday that he thinks he has finally crossed the bridge from wacky cultural icon to bona fide political candidate.

Veteran GOP House member Al McCandless left the seat open with his retirement announcement earlier this year.

Bono’s victory stands in contrast to two years ago, when he was widely regarded as a misplaced political wanna-be and was thrashed in a Republican primary for U.S. Senate.

“When I ran the Senate race, nobody was there with me,” the 59-year-old Bono said. “In that race, my name ID was attached to my last career (as Cher’s singing and television partner) and not my current one (as a businessman and then-mayor of Palm Springs).

For the faceoff in November, Bono says he will continue to sell himself as a political outsider who is better able to represent the district than is Democratic winner Steve Clute, whom he colors as a pure politician. Clute spent 10 years in the state Assembly before stepping aside in 1992.

Clute, 45, said his campaign would focus on the very issue that Bono wants to attack: his previous political experience.

“I know the district better than Sonny, and I’ve already done things to help the district. I’m going to make the case that I can best deliver more of the kind of support this district needs,” Clute said.

Exhibit B: Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Riverside), seemingly forgiven by voters for his dalliance with a prostitute last year, won a close victory in the 43rd District. But he faces the same Democratic challenger who nearly beat him in 1992. Even before his slim victory Tuesday, Calvert was rated the most vulnerable incumbent in the country by the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call.

Calvert now faces Democrat Mark Takano in a rematch of their race two years ago, which Calvert won by a scant 519 votes--the closest congressional election in the country that year.

“Primaries are never fun. I’ve never enjoyed primaries,” Calvert said Wednesday from Dallas, en route to Washington. In a post-election statement, Calvert conceded: “This primary campaign has been more about personality than policy and more about style than substance. All that changes now.”

Calvert beat conservative UC Riverside business professor Joe Khoury by about 1,000 votes--and with about 5,000 absentee votes still to be counted.

Takano, a trustee for the Riverside Community College District and a high school English and history teacher, wouldn’t indicate Wednesday whether he’ll hit Calvert on the sex-in-the-car incident.

“I’ll campaign on issues that are relevant to the district,” he said. “I’ll just leave it at that.”

Even though the western Riverside County district has a 10,000-voter edge in Republican registration, Takano said he expects the Democratic Party will work hard to bolster its party registration.

In other key regional races, Rancho Palos Verdes Councilwoman Susan Brooks defeated millionaire businessman Ron Florance in the coastal 36th District to meet first-term Rep. Jane Harman (D-Marina del Rey), who had no primary opposition.

Republicans believe the seat belongs to them, even though there are slightly more registered Democrats than Republicans in the district. Analysts believe the race may be close because Republicans tend to have better voter turnout.

Meanwhile, Rich Sybert, a former aide to Gov. Pete Wilson, easily won the Republican nomination in the 24th District, which includes Malibu, for the right to face veteran Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills) in the general election.

The well-financed Sybert should give the veteran Beilenson his toughest race since his southwest San Fernando Valley district was made less secure by redistricting.

Republican freshman Jay C. Kim of Diamond Bar easily beat back four GOP challengers in the 41st District, which includes parts of Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Under investigation by several federal agencies for possible campaign finance irregularities in his 1992 race, Kim should have smooth sailing in November, barring indictments or other legal problems.

The 22nd District seat, vacated by Rep. Michael Huffington for his successful run for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, will be fought over by Democrat Walter Capps, a UC Santa Barbara professor, and San Luis Obisbo Assemblywoman Andrea Seastrand. Although it is considered GOP territory, voters have demonstrated an independent streak, particularly in sending Democrats to the state Legislature.

The third open seat should be a Democratic slam-dunk in the fall. California delegation dean Don Edwards retired this year, leaving two strong Democrats to fight over his 16th District turf, which includes the eastern portion of San Jose and southern Santa Clara County. County Supervisor Zoe Lofgren edged out former San Jose Mayor Tom McEnery for the nomination.