EX-SPEAKER BUSTAMANTE LEADS DEMOCRATS FOR 2ND-HIGHEST OFFICE.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

In a series of races that pitted government experience against money and famous political names such as Brown and Alioto, candidates Tuesday wrapped up seldom-covered campaigns for statewide offices including lieutenant governor, treasurer, insurance commissioner and superintendent of instruction.

In the Democratic contest for the second-highest office in the state, Assembly Speaker Cruz Bustamante beat acting Secretary of State Tony Miller, who would have been the first openly gay lieutenant governor if elected.

Locked in a tight race for the Republican nomination were state Sen. Richard Mountjoy of Arcadia, state Sen. Tim Leslie of Carnelian Bay and wealthy business owner Noel Irwin Hentschel.

Much of Bustamante's donation-packed campaign coffers and Hentschel's self-financed fund went for TV commercial slots not already snatched up by the more widely watched Senate and gubernatorial races in the final weeks of the campaign.

Another Democrat, Larry Reed from Mira Loma, and another Republican, businesswoman Ingrid Lundberg, also filed for lieutenant governor, as did six minor-party candidates.

In the race for secretary of state, only one Democrat and one Republican sought their parties' nominations, in what amounted to a trial run for November's general election. In this year's primary, Californians could for the first time cross party lines and vote for any candidate.

Democrat Michela Alioto, a small-business owner and daughter of the longtime San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto, faced incumbent Republican Bill Jones. They were joined by six minor-party candidates in the race.

In the state controller's race, incumbent Kathleen Connell ran unchallenged for the Democratic nomination and San Mateo County Supervisor Ruben Barrales was unopposed for the GOP slot. Five third-party candidates rounded out the ballot.

In the state treasurer's race, former California Democratic Party Chairman Phil Angelides - yet another multimillionaire candidate - was leading South Gate City Treasurer Albert Robles and Mervin Evans, an author of financial books, for that party's nomination.

Assemblymen Curt Pringle, of Garden Grove and Jan Goldsmith of Poway continued their tight - and sometimes contentious - contest for the Republican nomination. Candidates from the American Independent, Libertarian, Natural Law and Peace & Freedom parties also ran.

Four Democrats went after their party's nomination for attorney general: state Sen. Bill Lockyer won handily over former Rep. Lynn Schenk, Sen. Charles M. Calderon and attorney Michael Schmier.

Deputy Attorney General Dave Stirling overwhelmed Orange County District Attorney Mike Capizzi in the contest for the GOP attorney general nomination. Four minor party candidates completed the field.

Two Democratic elected officials - Marin County Supervisor Hal Brown, cousin to former Gov. Jerry Brown, and Assemblywoman Diane Martinez of Rosemead - were in a close contest for the Democratic nomination for insurance commissioner.

Incumbent Chuck Quackenbush was unchallenged for the Republican nomination. Five third-party candidates also sought the seat.

In the nonpartisan race for state Superintendent of Public Instruction, incumbent Delaine Eastin was leading Gloria Matta Tuchman, who was in second place in early returns.