DAVIS, LUNGREN SPAR OVER EDUCATION, TAXES.

Byline: Scott Lindlaw Associated Press 

Dan Lungren and Gray Davis invoked a former president, Ronald Reagan, throughout their fourth and likely final debate Thursday, sticking to issues such as gay marriage, gun control, taxes and education and never mentioning the current president, Bill Clinton.

While Lungren cloaked himself in Reagan's ``positive, optimistic'' worldview, Davis charged that Lungren was even more conservative than his fellow Republican and hero.

``I was proud while I was in the Congress to be the single, strongest supporter of Ronald Reagan's agenda,'' Lungren said in his opening statement. ``Because we took the road less traveled for less government, less spending, lower taxes, and restoring pride in America.''

In his opening statement, Davis sought to portray his opponent as out of step and farther to the right than most Californians.

``He would take us backwards on a woman's right to choose. Backwards on education, backwards on environment, on human rights and even on smoking. . . . His record in Congress was to the right of Newt Gingrich and Bob Dornan,'' Davis said.

Later, Davis said Lungren voted in Congress against environmental programs that even Reagan supported, including clean air and clean water legislation. Lungren responded that he and a small core of fiscal-minded congressmen were merely trying to balance the budget.

Davis shot back: ``Which is it? Is Reagan leading the revolution or are you leading your own little rogue effort over here?''

While Reagan's name was probably invoked most frequently, the Republican attorney general took pains to remind the audience that Davis, the Democratic lieutenant governor, got his start in politics as chief of staff to former Gov. Jerry Brown. Neither candidate mentioned the impeachment inquiry against Clinton or Monica Lewinsky - issues that dominated the campaign this fall.

The debate at San Francisco State University was interrupted briefly at the start by a shouting protester who was removed by security guards. Hundreds of supporters of each candidate marched noisily outside, separated by steel police barricades. It was the largest group of protesters at any gubernatorial debate this year.

The candidates dueled first on education, an issue of primary importance to voters this election year.

Lungren advocated alternative credentialing for teachers, merit pay and more control for local school districts; Davis said he would call a special session of the Legislature as soon as he was elected to address the state's education problems. The Democrat also called for higher teacher and student standards, yearly testing of students after fourth grade and optional weekend classes.

Both candidates said they opposed gay marriages, and both said they would implement bans on assault weapons like the one now on the books.