Brown Sees It as Brown vs. Clinton Race : Politics: He questions Tsongas’ tactics, saying the ex-Massachusetts senator has to be ‘more scrappy or he’s in trouble.’

MILWAUKEE —  Encouraged by his showings in Michigan and Illinois, former California Gov. Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown Jr. asserted Wednesday that the Democratic presidential contest is “getting down to a two-man race” between him and Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton.

Brown also questioned the tactics of the party’s third candidate, former Massachusetts Sen. Paul E. Tsongas. “I think he has to be a little more scrappy or he’s in trouble,” Brown said.

Tsongas of late has muted his attacks on Clinton and instead stressed the economic themes that propelled his campaign before it hit the skids in several Southern primaries earlier this month and Tuesday’s contests in Illinois and Michigan. As he campaigned Wednesday in Connecticut--site of a primary next Tuesday--Tsongas said he planned to continue to concentrate on delivering his message of economic revitalization.

Brown, who climbed aboard his campaign bus at 4 a.m. Wednesday to begin stumping for votes in Wisconsin, made it clear he does not intend to lighten up on Clinton.

“There’s a sharp cleavage in the Democratic Party and Clinton and I represent directly opposing views,” Brown said. He repeatedly vowed: “I will not be silenced.”

Democratic National Chairman Ronald H. Brown has been trying to soften Jerry Brown’s sharp criticisms of Clinton, if not silence him. But the party chairman passed up an opportunity Wednesday to personally pitch party unity to Brown. The candidate called a New York politician and, by coincidence, Ron Brown was there and the two men chatted.

“We just exchanged pleasantries,” Jerry Brown said. “I said, ‘This race isn’t half over yet,’ and he said, ‘I know.’ He also said he wants to talk with me later.”

Ron Brown earlier this week called Jerry Brown “out of line” for accusing Clinton during a televised debate Sunday of conflicts of interest involving the business his wife’s law firm does with the state of Arkansas. Clinton and his wife have both angrily denied the charge.

Brown on Wednesday continued to jab at Clinton on the conflict-of-interest issue, telling about 500 applauding Marquette University students: “This is not a good ol’ boy program here. I’m not one of those good ol’ boys from Arkansas who mixes politics with business.”

Assessing Tuesday’s results at a news conference in Wisconsin, which holds a primary April 7, Brown touted his “strong showing” in Michigan and “a relatively good showing” in Illinois.

In Michigan, where he attracted significant blue-collar votes, Brown finished second to Clinton, winning 26% of the vote. Brown ran third in Illinois--36 percentage points behind the victorious Clinton--but he insisted he was pleased he won 15% of the vote because he campaigned little in the state.

Brown predicted that the New York primary--also on April 7--will be “rough and tumble” as he competes for more blue-collar votes. “It will be a race where the feathers fly,” he said, pausing. “The fur or the feathers--either or both.”

Brown spent part of his morning standing for 90 minutes in frigid, breezy weather greeting electronics workers as they entered their plant. He repeatedly proclaimed: “It’s cold, but we’re hot.”

Shivering in subfreezing temperatures, Brown also opined that to work, his message “has to sear.”

When asked how he could avoid having a message that sears without it sounding shrill, Brown replied: “That’s a good question. By smiling, speaking quietly. When you cut you have to cut cleanly.”

Brown ended his day in Connecticut, where he planned a full round of campaigning today.

Times staff writer Glenn Bunting contributed to this story.