CANDIDATES' DEBATE TELEVISED ONLY IN SPANISH.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

The historic debate Saturday by gubernatorial candidates for Latino voters became a closed-circuit affair broadcast live only in Spanish by Univision stations across the state.

The decision by Univision, which operates KMEX-TV (Channel 34), surprised the candidates, who had been told it would be made available to other stations as well as the national C-SPAN network.

``We heard a rumor about it, but didn't have any confirmation,'' said Kam Kuwata, campaign consultant for U.S. Rep. Jane Harman, D-Torrance. ``It's unfortunate because we wanted as wide as exposure as we could get.''

The forum featuring Democrats Harman, Gray Davis and Al Checchi and Republican Dan Lungren was sponsored by Spanish-language newspaper La Opinion and KMEX-TV.

It was televised live by the Univision network, and although the candidates spoke English to the audience at Loyola Marymount College, Spanish translators spoke over their words for the broadcast.

Portions of the debate were available for English language news programs Saturday evening.

Elena Stern, spokeswoman for the Checchi campaign, said she was unaware of the blackout of live coverage for other stations.

``That's a shame because it's so close to the election and we wanted it to go out to all Californians,'' Stern said.

Campaign officials said they would have participated regardless of the blackout.

``It's still a debate and there will be coverage,'' Kuwata said.

C-SPAN officials said they were told Friday afternoon that they would have to black out the broadcast in California.

``It kind of came out of left field,'' Steve Scully, the political director of C-SPAN, told The Sacramento Bee. ``From our standpoint, we're not competing with anyone else. We're trying to provide a public service.''

Univision officials did not return telephone calls Saturday.

Meanwhile, Latino Americans on Saturday applauded the televised gubernatorial candidate forum targeted at their community, saying it was time politicians began to face their issues.

``I'm happy to see they did this debate because maybe it means politicians will soon embrace the Hispanic community and not just for the votes,'' said college student Maribel Rojas, watching inside a booth at a Los Angeles swap meet.

Booths at the swap meet selling electronics had all their TVs tuned to Channel 34, where many observers praised the candidates for saying they would vote against Proposition 227, which would sharply reduce bilingual education programs in schools statewide.

``But I wonder how sincere this sentiment is and if, once they get elected, it will just be another (Gov. Pete) Wilson again,'' said Tomas Carrias of Los Angeles.

The forum - the candidates' second and final one before the June 2 open primary - was specifically targeted at Latino voters, a growing bloc in California.

``I like what (Lungren) had to say about needing immigrants in this country. I'm tired of hearing from politicians that we don't do anything to contribute to the economy and are just here to reap the benefits. We work hard and we pay taxes too,'' said Escolastica Gonzalez, 32, of Los Angeles. She watched while cutting hair at Maria's Beauty Salon in the Pico Union District.

Carrias, 28, said he appreciated this year's candidates reaching out, but was unsure who he was going to vote for.

``But I think Checchi would be a good role model because he worked hard to build up his business and become a millionaire. That shows enterprise,'' Carrias said.

Rojas, 22, a student at the University of California, Riverside, said she was excited to vote in her first election and was leaning toward casting her ballot for Lungren.

``I liked what he said today and I'm turned off by Davis criticizing his opponents,'' she said. ``He should run on his own merits without having to resort to making barbs at the others.''

The real test, she said, is ``to see beyond all the rhetoric to make sure we don't elect someone who has just been giving us sound bites and is not sincere.''