In the crowded gubernatorial race, candidate Lawrence K. Freeman has staked out one issue all to himself -- floating nuclear power plants.

The Maryland industrial economy, he says, could be revived by building the nuclear facilities, which would be placed on barges and shipped across the ocean to developing countries in Africa.

"Think of all the jobs that could be created by this," Mr. Freeman says.

None of the other candidates has embraced the idea, which industry spokesmen say is far-fetched if not impossible.

But that's nothing new for Mr. Freeman, a longtime follower of political extremist Lyndon H. LaRouche making his fourth run for elective office in Maryland.

The 71-year-old LaRouche, a former Marxist, espouses a mostly conservative, conspiracy-driven ideology. His group contends the queen of England is involved in international drug trafficking, that Walter F. Mondale is a KGB agent and that a morally decayed nation will be plagued by AIDS, in part because of the policies of the International Monetary Fund.

Mr. LaRouche, who intends to run for president in 1996, was released from federal prison in January after serving five years for mail fraud and conspiracy stemming from charges that he deliberately defaulted on millions of dollars in loans.

No expectation of victory

In Maryland, Mr. Freeman, 43, has no illusions of winning the Sept. 13 Democratic primary. But he considers the campaign an opportunity to continue spreading the LaRouche gospel and to bring new members into the fold.

Based in a drab industrial office park in Catonsville, Mr. Freeman and his LaRouche Maryland operation have recruited about 50 candidates for the primary. Most are running for the state legislature or the Democratic State Central Committee, or both, mainly in the Baltimore and Washington areas.

Mr. Freeman, the ticket leader, is running radio commercials that offer a dry recitation of his platform, which he describes as "pro-development, pro-growth, pro-science, pro-human."

Opposes abortion

He is strongly anti-abortion and notes that he is the only gubernatorial candidate who opposes the death penalty.

He rails against a population-control conference to be held next month in Cairo that he says amounts to planned genocide. He also preaches against Baltimore's new needle exchange program and giving Norplant birth control to young city women -- two more examples of "genocide" against blacks.

Nation's collapse predicted

Mr. Freeman first heard Mr. LaRouche lecture as a college student in New York City 25 years ago. He married another LaRouche follower in 1973, moved to Maryland a year later and has worked for LaRouche-affiliated companies most of the time since.

In an office decorated with portraits of Benjamin Franklin, Mikhail Gorbachev and Malcolm X, Mr. Freeman predicts the nation is headed toward a financial collapse brought on by an explosion of credit and speculative investments.

He seems content simply spreading his message.

"My principle is to provide people with the truth," he says. "If I don't win, I will educate more people. If I do win, so much the better."

Mr. Freeman and his followers gather recruits at various speaking engagements, political events or even by going door-to-door.

Some people who find the ideas appealing get involved -- giving money or attending classes held weekly at the LaRouche organization's offices.

Focusing on discontent

Many are urged to run for office. Those who do, run on platforms of discontent.

"The country is in trouble," says Leighton D. Williams, a retired engineer in Prince George's County seeking a House of Delegates seat. He says the country needs "real patriots instead of phony patriots like Oliver North" -- who, according to LaRouche teachings, is a cocaine smuggler.

Mr. Williams, 65, is making at least his fourth run for office. He says he is strongly anti-drug and anti-pornography and opposed to outcome-based education, a favorite target of the LaRouche candidates. Friday, he joined a LaRouche group protesting the needle giveaway in West Baltimore.

'Telling the truth'

Fannie Powell, 76, says she was persuaded to run for the Democratic Central Committee at a LaRouche organization class she attended. She says she likes Mr. LaRouche's philosophy, although she cannot cite any specifics.

"He's just as good as any of the rest of 'em," says Ms. Powell. "He's telling the truth. Everything he's said has come true -- what's going on now, all these people getting killed and all that stuff."

She laughs about winning. "I might get a couple votes," she

says, noting that she has done no campaigning.

Concern among Democrats

Some in the Democratic Party aren't laughing.

Asked about the LaRouche slate, Kevin Kamenetz, head of the Baltimore County Democratic Party and a candidate for the County Council, said party officials worked to ensure there were mainstream Democratic candidates in every county race.

"We wanted to make sure there were appropriate alternatives to LaRouche candidates," Mr. Kamenetz says, although he declined to identify specific candidates who were urged to run.

Others surprised

But other Democratic Party officials know little about the LaRouche candidates on the ballot.

State Delegate Elijah E. Cummings, for example, was surprised to hear from a reporter that four LaRouche candidates were among the 15 contenders seeking five seats on the Democratic Central Committee in his 44th District in the downtown Baltimore area.

"I really think that the LaRouche name does not help a person in our district," Mr. Cummings says. "It makes me very, very curious as to what their game plan is."

Central Committee targeted

The Democratic Central Committee has one important task -- to fill vacancies in the legislature between elections -- and offers a good target for LaRouche candidates, who typically have little name recognition or money.

Few voters pay much attention to the candidates and some little-known contenders with names at the top of the ballot have managed to win election.

The LaRouche organization has declined to identify all of its candidates, but nearly all are running on a slate called Marylanders for the Revival of the American System and are identified in election board records.

Not ashamed

The candidates are not ashamed of their affiliation, says Mr. Freeman's wife, Debra, a national spokeswoman for Mr. LaRouche and a frequent candidate for Maryland office herself.

Rather, Mrs. Freeman said, some candidates have been "harassed terribly by the press and others for their support of LaRouche."

"Let's face it," she says, "we're aware that LaRouche is an extremely controversial figure."

CANDIDATES AFFILIATED WITH LAROUCHE GROUP

These are candidates in the Baltimore area affiliated with the Maryland organization of Lyndon H. LaRouche. All are Democrats.

House of Delegates

Dist. 5, Carroll Co.: Eric R. Hirtle

Dist. 12A, Balto. Co.: Paul C. Bird Jr.

Dist. 14B, Howard Co.: Bushrod W. Hopkins

Dist. 32, Anne Arundel Co.: Rick L. Ramer

Dist. 41, Balt. City: Shirley A. Boney

Dist. 42, Balt. City and Balto. Co: Lydia M. Wells

Dist. 43, Balt. City: Thomas L. Allred

Dist. 44, Balt. City: Ruby Boulware

Dist. 47B, Balto. Co.: Rodney J. Barlow

State Senate

Dist. 10, Balto. Co. and Balt. City: George K. Gribbroek

Dist. 40, Balt. City: Hazel C. Judd

Dist. 44, Balt. City: Aaron S. Powell

Dist. 47, Balt. City and Balto. Co: Joni L. Ingalls

Baltimore County Executive

Kevin Pearl

Democratic State Central Committee

Anne Arundel County

Dist. 30: Craig E. Ransom

Dist. 33: Robert M. Lucas

Dist. 33: Autry Snowden

Baltimore City

Dist. 10: Leon P. Harris

Dist. 41: Marion E. Botterill, Enois Goldsborough, Hazel C. Judd

Dist. 42: Lydia M. Wells

Dist. 43: Thomas C. Allred, Arthur B. Cain, Hilda M. Perry

Dist. 44: Ruby Boulware, Clara L. Bush, Aaron S. Powell, Fannie Powell

Dist. 45: Diane Hamilton, Hattie M. Harris

Baltimore County

Dist. 6: Evelyn Zipkin

Dist. 8: Joseph Wright

Dist. 10: Mark S. Nafziger, Kevin Pearl, Eric W. Thomas

Dist. 12A: Carol S. McCarthy

Dist. 47B: Rodney J. Barlow, Joni L. Ingalls

Carroll County

Dist. 5: Eric R. Hirtle

Howard County

Dist. 14B: Bushrod W. Hopkins

Source: State and local election board filings and information from the LaRouche organization