HOW CALIFORNIA VOTED How California has voted in recent presidential elections: 1996: Clinton 51 percent, Dole 38 percent 1992: Clinton 46 percent, Bush 33 percent, Perot 21 percent 1988: Bush 51 percent, Dukakis 48 percent 1984: Reagan 58 percent, Mondale 41 percent 1980: Reagan 53 percent, Carter 36 percent

With symbolism and actions, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee is seeking to reassure jittery Republicans that he intends to fight for the state and win -- just as his father did in 1988.

One example: Even though he's far behind Democrat Al Gore among Hispanics in the state, he's going out of his way to seek their votes. He's popular among Hispanics back home in Texas, and during the California primary campaign he challenged other candidates to debate him on issues important to Hispanics, but "solamente en espanol" -- only in Spanish.

So far, Gore has the upper hand among voters statewide, with the latest Field Poll showing him 10 points ahead. He also has a powerful ally in Gov. Gray Davis. And the Clinton administration has rained down federal money in recent months -- a tactic Bush is powerless to counter.

The vice president topped Bush 35 percent to 28 percent in the state's open primary last month, in line with a wave of Democratic popularity that swept all but two Republicans from California's statewide offices a year and a half ago. So some political scientists predict Bush will channel resources into more winnable, less expensive states.

But Bush's people insist he's not budging in a state that holds one-fifth of the electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

"From the beginning of the campaign, Governor Bush has always prioritized California, and it has always figured centrally in his national political strategy," said Margita Thompson, a California campaign spokeswoman. "That was true for the primary, and it's more than true for the general election."

It better be, suggests GOP consultant Sal Russo, who worked on presidential campaigns with Ronald Reagan. However the November vote turns out in California, he says, a candidate who writes off the state early jeopardizes the party here.

In addition, others note, giving up on such a big state would allow Gore to concentrate his efforts elsewhere, too.

Hard decisions will be made later in the summer about where to focus time and money to try to win a majority of the 270 electoral votes, Russo said. "Until then, California is going to be in the hunt. If it isn't, we ought to throw in the towel."

Bush will campaign in California this week, beating the vice president to the state following last month's wave of primaries. But he won't stay long this time. After about a day and a half in this state of 34 million people, he returns to Texas.

Gore can count on some affection for his boss rubbing off on him, particularly in Hollywood. In their first appearance together in months, Clinton and Gore will appear at a Beverly Hills fund-raiser April 15.

Bush is also sending surrogates here regularly. His father headlined a fund-raiser near Palm Springs recently, though it was not publicized. By contrast, the Democratic National Committee is using high-profile surrogates as it orchestrates Bush-bashing news conferences throughout the state.

Bush backers can find a little comfort in neutral analysts' comments on California -- but only a little.

"It might be competitive, it depends where the McCain voters go in California and where the big bloc of independent voters go," said Mark Baldassare, survey director at the Public Policy Institute of California. "I've yet to see evidence that there's a lock for the Democrats in California."

The Bush campaign points out that its only state campaign office remaining open after the big primaries was in California. The campaign doesn't mention that officials had quietly attempted to close the office, then reversed course, fearing such a move would raise concern.

Rick Davis helped run the elder Bush's California campaign in 1988, when the then-vice president captured the state and the White House. The winning formula is simple, he said: Bring in the candidate early and often.

"He was here so much we could hardly keep up," Davis said.

Opinion is divided among Republican candidates, consultants and activists around California as to how vigorously Bush will campaign here.

Darrell Issa, who is seeking a congressional seat that straddles San Diego, Orange and Riverside counties, said the coattail effect is critical for Republicans.

"He has an obligation to be here a great deal of the time," said Issa, who predicted Bush will spend one-ninth of his time and money in the state.

But others are not so sure.

"I'm not going to wait in the Burbank airport for him," said Craig Missakian, a GOP candidate for the state Assembly.

Russo, the Republican consultant, said the debate over what Bush will do is premature.

"There's only one decision to make now: We need to keep California competitive," he said.