Pro-lifers who happen to be Democrats have a gubernatorial candidate they can vote for in good conscience in the September 15 primary.

Dr. Terry McGuire calls himself 'a different kind of Democrat,' an apt description for a candidate whose positions often differ sharply from the standard Democrat agenda.

For example, the 55-year-old general physician says that, if elected, not only would he veto any new state gun control laws, he would sign legislation repealing the state law that prohibits people from buying more than one gun a month.

He supports school vouchers.

He advocates returning all future state budget surpluses to Maryland residents in the form of tax relief.

And he is a firm opponent of existing state and federal laws that allow abortion. He would sign legislation requiring girls under 18 to have parental permission for an abortion. He also supports legislation banning partial-birth abortions. 'The recent vote of the entire Maryland Democratic Congressional Delegation in support of President Clinton's veto of a ban on partial-birth abortion is a clear example of why moderate and conservative voters are becoming increasingly disenchanted with the Democratic party,' Dr. McGuire said in a recent news release. 'Their support of this extreme position of unrestricted abortion at any time during pregnancy is outrageous. I call on them to view the barbaric procedure of partial-birth abortion. This is not a concept. It is a real killing of an unborn baby up to one second before birth.'

Dr. McGuire, a Davidsonville resident, has been a practicing physician since 1970, with offices in Seat Pleasant.

He served as a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1969-70, and was vice-president of McGuire Brothers Builders, a family-owned construction company, from 1986-92.

He has served as medical examiner for the Prince George's county Police Department and is Medical Consultant for Drugs and Alcohol for the county's Sheriff's Department.

Although this is his first run for political office, McGuire has worked as a volunteer on several other political campaigns, including the successful 1978 gubernatorial campaign of Harry Hughes and his running mate, Sam Bogley.

The doctor and his wife Magdalena have two children, Erin, 16, and Caitlin, 9. A third child, Patrick, died at age 7 from heart-related complications.

His civic affiliations include membership in the Knights of Columbus, the American Legion and St. Andrews Society of Washington, D.C. He is state chairman of Concerned Citizens Against Commercial Casinos.

In his spare time Dr. McGuire reads classical literature, studies philosophy, plays the piano and writes music.

McGuire is considered a dark-horse candidate for his party's nomination. He trails far behind Gov. Parris Glendening and Harford County Executive Eileen Rehrmann in the polls, and lacks funding to promote his campaign through television advertising.

This has not stopped him from running a vigorous 'shoe leather' campaign across the state, with the help of a devoted group of supporters.

One such supporter is Walter Broderick, who heads the pro-life educational task force of Catholic War Veterans Post 862, Washington, D.C. 'We see Dr. McGuire being a carrier of the pro-family, pro-life message,' said Mr. Broderick. 'He educates the electorate by trumpeting the pro-life message across the state.'