IRVINE — Both sides in the gubernatorial race chose Orange County to do battle Wednesday, with Democrat Kathleen Brown appealing to the middle class during a speech on the economy while a high-profile surrogate for Gov. Pete Wilson inferred that Brown has shifted her focus to middle-income voters on the advice of President Clinton's pollster.

During a hastily called news conference at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, where Brown was to deliver a luncheon speech on her economic recovery plan, New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican, said the state treasurer's middle-income message was devised by the Democratic National Committee in order to help party members win elections in November.

"I have not seen it as being a major concern of (Brown's) until now," Whitman said. "All of a sudden, now it's a major concern. That's something that voters should watch very closely."

Brown later contended that Wilson was hiding behind his wife and Whitman while avoiding her challenge to five debates.

Before her speech to the nonpartisan, nonprofit Orange County Forum, Brown told reporters: "Pete Wilson is unleashing Gayle Wilson, Christine Todd Whitman and every person he can find to attack me. . . . Why doesn't Pete Wilson come out and debate me like a man?"

Michael Reese, Brown's deputy campaign manager, said that since the start of the campaign, Brown has consistently talked about the economy, crime, education and about "how failures (on these issues) are undermining the middle class."

Brown is expected to discuss specifics of her economic recovery strategy for Southern California at campaign appearances today in Los Angeles and Riverside counties.

In what was billed as a preview of her proposal--but was more a recap of her previously disclosed plan to provide incentives for economic growth statewide--Brown told the Orange County audience that a separate economic strategy is needed for Southern California because it has been hardest hit by the recession.

Hoping to demonstrate how the "California dream" has faded, Brown said that since Wilson took office, Orange County's unemployment rate has increased by 65%--now at 6.6%--and that home and business foreclosures have gone up by 743%, with 3,000 occurring this year alone.

"No wonder people are scared, no wonder they are angry, and no wonder they are frustrated," Brown said. "I think that these times call for a governor who understands those fears, who can explain to our workers, explain to our businesses, explain to our people what is happening to our economy and lay out a plan and then fight to get us where we need to go."