GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFULS DAVIS, LUNGREN WILL MEET IN 5 DEBATES.

Byline: Scott Lindlaw Associated Press

After squabbling for two weeks about when, where and how often to square off, gubernatorial candidates Gray Davis and Dan Lungren agreed Tuesday to a series of five debates, beginning next month.

Both sides said further negotiations were necessary to iron out such details as formats and sponsorships. More meetings are planned for next week.

But they agreed that the debates promised to elevate the general election campaign to a higher plane than the bitter primary campaign, which set a spending record for a nonpresidential election.

``It signals that the candidates will focus on issues, rather than paid advertising,'' said Lungren campaign manager Dave Puglia. ``It sets a tone for an intelligent debate of ideas between the candidates.''

``And the fact that we're going to have five debates means neither candidate will be able to duck issues, as was the case in the primary,'' added Davis campaign spokesman Chris Campana.

Indeed, a schedule of five debates would set the 1998 gubernatorial election well apart from the 1994 campaign. Four years ago, Gov. Pete Wilson faced off with Democratic challenger Kathleen Brown just once.

Campaign officials met Tuesday at a hotel in Beverly Hills and emerged with an agreement to meet five times: once in July, once in August and three times in September and October.

They also agreed that, at some point, Lungren and Davis will be permitted to question each other directly. But other format issues are still open.

Until Tuesday, an escalating feud over debates threatened to drag the general election campaign into the kind of acrimony voters witnessed in the primary election, which saw the three Democratic candidates bicker frequently about their records and respective personal wealth.

Puglia said Lungren, the current attorney general, had wanted more than five debates. Puglia complained that Davis, the current lieutenant governor, had broken a promise to debate this month.

Lungren, the GOP nominee, had issued several news releases questioning why Davis appeared to be ducking his pledge to debate.

Last week Lungren chided Davis, a Democrat, at a news conference on crime.

``I don't know what it's like growing up in the Bronx, New York,'' where Davis was born, Lungren said. ``I just know what it's like growing up in Long Beach, California, and when I grew up, when you gave somebody your word, you were supposed to keep it.

``They have evidently decided,'' he said, ``the stall game works pretty well.''

Davis aides said the press release campaign smacked of bad faith, but responded with their own statement Monday, claiming Lungren was ``game-playing on the subject of debates.''

``The candidate who yammers the loudest about debates is almost always the one who's behind and whose campaign has no traction,'' said Davis campaign director Garry South.

Ultimately, Lungren's harping on the issue contributed to Davis' decision not to face him in June, Campana said.

``We thought that was bad faith, so we didn't feel like we needed to meet any demands for debates, especially on Lungren's terms,'' he said.

In addition, Davis aides felt Californians could stand a break after an intense primary campaign.

``The voters of California have just had to endure a primary campaign that saw the earliest-ever start of paid advertising in California's history, and more money than has ever been spent in a primary campaign in America's history,'' South said. ``It is doubtful the voters are ready for the candidates for governor to get back in their face every few days.''