DEMOCRATS MAKING HAY OUT OF SCANDAL.

Byline: Richard L. Burke The New York Times

Democrats who only days ago feared that the White House sex scandal would cripple their candidates in a midterm election year now say that, to their amazement, the crisis may be galvanizing party loyalists and bolstering efforts to raise money.

In interviews over the last few days, dozens of Democratic politicians, strategists and fund-raising consultants in the nation's capital and across the country said the accusations against President Clinton, at first glance, could not have come at a worse time: The party faces $9 million in debt just as it is trying to advance an agenda in Congress and as candidates are gearing up for the November elections.

Still, they pointed to an unexpected political dynamic. Although some Democrats are reserving judgment and fear that the party could crumble under further revelations, the scandal is prompting others to redouble their efforts to help the party financially and politically.

``This is a little bit of a wake-up call,'' said Beth Dozoretz, a major Democratic fund-raiser who had taken a break from asking for contributions - until the scandal broke. ``It's very typical that in midterm elections, people get lethargic. But this has brought it to the front burner again.''

It is in the interest of party stalwarts to make the best out of a bad situation, and the State of the Union message often results in at least a momentary sense of optimism among those in the president's party.

But beyond the polls late last week showing that Clinton's job-approval ratings are among the highest of his presidency, there is independent evidence across the country that, at least for now, his difficulties may be something of a boon to the party.

Funds pouring in

At the Democratic National Committee, Steve Grossman, the national party chairman, said that although the party's telephone solicitations had declined in the first two days of the scandal, they have since rebounded to the highest point of the month, from an average $25 pledge rate after the scandal broke to more than $30 after the State of the Union address. ``We are seeing a sea change in the way people have responded in the last few days,'' he said.

At the White House, officials said no politicians had canceled fund-raising events or appearances with Clinton. On Friday alone, one official said, four state and local campaigns called to ask that the president appear with their candidates at events this year.

The official said, ``I've received hundreds of calls from people all over the country saying, I'm tired. I want to fight back. Here's what I'm going to do.'' He acknowledged that some people are furious with the president, but said, ``Those people don't call.''

In New York, Democratic Party officials who only weeks ago groused that the national party was undermining their fund-raising efforts said they had been stunned by fund-raising pledges last week. Contributions to the Connecticut state party also rose, though not as steeply.

``You could knock me over with a feather,'' said Judith Hope, the New York Democratic chairwoman. ``I assumed the worst would follow.''

The New York state party took in $630,000 in all of last year. When it operated phone banks, the party usually tallied pledges for $20,000 to $25,000 in a night. But on Monday night, the party's phone banks took pledges for $39,750, Hope said, ``which was one of the best nights we've ever had.''

On Tuesday, the day of Clinton's State of the Union speech, the phone calls reaped pledges of $57,000, a record for a single night, she said.

In Arkansas, Nate Coulter, a Democrat running for the Senate, was probably the first candidate to raise the subject of Clinton's crisis in a move to bolster his own campaign. Announcing his candidacy Wednesday, Coulter called for reducing the power of independent counsels like Kenneth Starr, who ``govern by subpoenas and grand juries.''

And in Los Angeles, William Carrick, a Democratic strategist, almost canceled voter focus groups scheduled for Thursday night because he thought participants would be consumed with the White House scandal and skew the findings. He proceeded with the sessions anyway and found that in four hours of discussions among groups of Democrats, Republicans and independents, only one person brought up the White House crisis - as an aside.

Candidates surprised

In the interviews, many Democrats said they were taken aback by the enthusiasm.

``In a certain ironic sense, it has helped,'' Rep. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who is running for the Democratic Senate nomination, said of the scandal. ``There's far more enthusiasm for the prescriptions the president laid out in the State of the Union. Because of all the allegations swirling around, it's our refuge.''

Across the country, several Democrats asserted that it would not be fair for the Democratic Party to suffer from a scandal that concerned only the president. And many said Hillary Rodham Clinton's forceful portrayal of a vast right-wing conspiracy against her husband has been particularly effective in emboldening party loyalists.

``It's a very bizarre phenomenon,'' said Roger Craver, a Democratic direct-mail expert. ``To liberal, older Democratic donors, Hillary's statement that this is a right-wing conspiracy is very relevant. These are people that went through the McCarthy era. They understand polarization - and general adversity helps.''

Alan Secrest, a Democratic pollster with many clients in the South, said that if the scandal drags on, it could negatively affect Democratic turnout and fund raising. But he said the story could play to Democrats' advantage as well.

``Democrats are often at their best when they're under fire,'' Secrest said. ``They are less ideologically unified than Republicans. The thing that can unify them is a common enemy.

``If Democratic candidates and base Democratic voters reach the conclusion that this is a political witch hunt coming at their expense, the possible outcome is that Democrats are re-enthused and turn out more than we had planned for.''