ANGELIDES, WESTLY OFF TO DEM FEST STATE CONVENTION MAY DEFINE CANDIDATES.

Byline: HARRISON SHEPPARD Sacramento Bureau

SACRAMENTO -- More than 3,000 Democratic Party activists and elected officials will converge on Sacramento next weekend - April 29 - for the state party's annual convention, an event that could mark a turning point in the hard-fought governor's race.

The convention gives state Treasurer Phil Angelides a chance to regain some lost ground in his bid for the nomination, while Controller Steve Westly will seek to win over the more hard-core liberal activists by convincing them he is the party's best hope to take down Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in November.

Conventional wisdom holds that Angelides, as a former Democratic Party chairman and the more liberal candidate, has a stronger appeal to the grass-roots activists who will show up in big numbers at the convention, while Westly appeals to the more moderate wing.

Westly said he sees himself as the underdog to win the party's official endorsement vote Saturday, and he would be happy if neither candidate breaks the necessary 60 percent threshold.

``Mr. Angelides will certainly be the odds-on favorite, but I think momentum is clearly shifting our way,'' Westly said in a telephone interview. ``A lot of the people who went early for my opponent are now looking at dual endorsements. Some of the people who haven't endorsed are coming our way.''

A split or no endorsement ``would be a huge victory,'' Westly added.

Westly's appeal will include noting that he is a ``progressive'' Democrat, with a track record that includes protecting the environment, supporting gay marriage, and being active in the party for 25 years.

Bob Mulholland, senior adviser to the Angelides campaign, remains confident that at the least, the treasurer will get the most endorsement votes even if he doesn't reach the ``very difficult'' 60 percent threshold.

``It will be a good homecoming for Phil Angelides,'' said Mulholland, a former strategist for the state party. ``Most delegates see Phil Angelides like Bill Clinton - he fights every day for Democratic values and working people.''

He noted that Angelides was party chairman in 1992, when the party saw combined victories in California for the presidential race and both U.S. Senate seats. Those at the convention have long memories and are looking for someone who will fight for traditional Democratic values, he said.

Angelides, a former party chairman, had been the early front-runner in the race, locking up endorsements from respected party leaders like U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, but has fallen behind his better-funded rival in recent polls.

Party officials hope that even if they don't agree on an endorsement, Democrats will emerge from the convention united behind at least one common goal - defeating Schwarzenegger.

``There is a tremendous amount of energy in taking back the governor's seat,'' said California Democratic Party political director Sam Rodriguez. ``We truly believe that we want it back. And we'll do anything and everything necessary to get that seat back for a Democratic governor.''

On the other side of the aisle, Republican leaders have not publicly expressed a preference for which candidate they would rather see Schwarzenegger face in November.

But analysts believe that if Angelides and Westly beat each other up in the primary, the winner will emerge in June with a bruised public image.

California Republican Party Chairman Duf Sundheim said he will be monitoring the convention to see how closely the candidates cater to the influential unions, whose cash and manpower are often seen as key to winning elections in California.

Additionally, he said neither candidate has managed to distinguish himself with a strong image to the general public, and the convention could be an opportunity for them to finally define themselves.

If they spend the convention just attacking Schwarzenegger, Sundheim said, it could be seen as a lack of confidence in their own plans for the state.

``If these guys are attacking the governor now, it's got to be that they have no vision of their own,'' Sundheim said. ``They're in a primary, their obligation is to lay out their vision as to where the state should be going. If they spend their time attacking the governor, that reflects the fact that they don't have the vision.''

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