BURTON THE SENATE'S NEW PRO TEM; DEAN OF S.F. LIBERALS IS SUCCEEDING LOCKYER.

Byline: Paul Hefner Daily ews Sacramento Bureau

Forced by term limits to choose a new leader, state Senate Democrats on Friday picked Sen. John Burton, the offbeat dean of San Francisco liberals, for one of California's most powerful legislative posts.

Burton was elected in a closed-door caucus vote to replace Sen. Bill Lockyer, D-Hayward, as Senate president pro tem - head of the Legislature's upper house.

Lockyer is barred from seeking re-election under the state's term-limit law. His coming departure prompted Burton and at least three other lawmakers to campaign for the post behind the scenes.

``It's an awesome thing,'' said Burton, who was hugged by several Bay Area lawmakers in a hallway off the Senate floor.

``The king is dead, long live the king,'' said Sen. Jim Brulte, R-Rancho Cucamonga. ``It's a sign of where the Democratic Party is that they pick another San Francisco liberal to lead the Senate - a San Francisco ally of Willie Brown.''

Yet Brulte and other conservatives predicted they would be able to work with Burton.

``I think John will be a good pro tem,'' Brulte said. ``John Burton is honest; he is a straight shooter. You never have to guess where you stand with him.''

Indeed, Burton is known for expressing himself, sometimes with volume to spare. Last year, he railed against fellow Democrats for being too quick to compromise on welfare reform with Gov. Pete Wilson, whom he once derided as ``the little Marine.''

But some lawmakers predicted that his new leadership post would force Burton to control himself.

``John had a different role to play before he was pro tem. He can't afford to be a bomb-thrower,'' said Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, who got a tongue-lashing from Burton last year for supporting a bill to bar narcotics offenders from receiving aid.

The younger brother of the late U.S. Rep. Philip Burton, D-San Francisco, John Burton, 65, started his political career in the state Assembly in 1964. He also served a stint in Congress, but resigned in 1982 after publicly acknowledging an addiction to alcohol and cocaine.

He practiced law after completing rehabilitation and returned to public

office in 1988, when he was elected to the state Assembly. He moved up to the Senate in 1996, and won't face term limits until 2004.

With the 1998 elections close at hand, it falls to the pro tem to raise a campaign war chest to try to keep Democrats in the majority. Burton's links to the party's fund-raising base may have won him the job, Bebitch Jeffe said.

``He brings more tentacles to the fund-raising effort,'' she said.

Burton's election came as Assembly Majority Leader Antonio Villaraigosa, D-Los Angeles, appeared to have locked up the votes to replace Cruz Bustamante, D-Fresno, as speaker of the Assembly.

While no formal vote to name Villaraigosa speaker-elect was taken Friday, several other candidates for the job, including Speaker Pro Tem Sheila Kuehl, D-Encino, had already thrown their support to him.

Kuehl and others delighted at the prospect of sending a pair of hard-charging liberals to do battle with Wilson.

``I think the governor is worried,'' Kuehl said. ``I hope the governor is worried.''

But nothing could be further from the truth, said Sean Walsh, Wilson's spokesman.

``We welcome him,'' Walsh said of Burton. ``He's got the intellectual capacity for the job. We think he'll come in and roll up his sleeves. I think we'll have some colorful budget discussions.''