Gambling Advocates Hedging Their Bets

Pro-Slots Donors Giving to O'Malley As Well as Ehrlich

Maryland supporters of legalizing slot machines have had an outspoken champion in Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., but some key gambling enthusiasts are now putting their money behind his Democratic opponent in the race for governor.

Campaign records show that donations have started going to Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, who has pledged to support a limited gambling plan that would allow slot machines at Maryland racetracks. Slot supporters say O'Malley might have better luck persuading gambling opponents in the Democrat-controlled House of Delegates to ease their resistance.

"It's my view that, from a political standpoint, anyone in the governor's office that's a Democrat may have a better chance to deliver on slots," said Tom Bowman, a veterinarian and horse breeder who served as president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association during the years when Ehrlich pushed hardest to expand legalized gambling.

Although Bowman said he has held back from giving to either candidate so far this year, as have many of the largest gambling donors, he confirmed that several high-profile advocates who backed Ehrlich four years ago have turned up at O'Malley fundraisers.

Several key players have started hedging their bets. The Thoroughbred Breeders and Horsemen's political action committee, for instance, has given $3,000 to each candidate. Joseph A. DeFrancis, who owns shares of Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park, was a major supporter of Ehrlich's in the aftermath of the 2002 campaign. He donated $2,000 to O'Malley in August and attended a fundraiser for him last week.

Ehrlich raised more than $60,000 from gambling interests from 2002 to 2004 while he was pushing the General Assembly to approve his sweeping slots plan. During the past two years, though, O'Malley started closing the gap, raising more than $12,000 as Ehrlich took in $30,000.

Ehrlich said that he has seen evidence of the change and that it bothers him.

"They're playing both sides," he said. "I've been saying it for four years: Left-leaning groups don't play that way. We shouldn't either. People should be supporting those who agree with their platform."

Asked whether he understood their reasoning -- that a Democratic governor might be more successful working with the legislature to pass slots -- Ehrlich said he did not.

"If you took that approach, you'd never elect a Republican governor," he said.

Ehrlich's closest advisers have tried to fight back.

In phone calls and handwritten notes, Richard E. Hug, Ehrlich's chief fundraiser, made clear to several O'Malley donors that he was keeping track of their giving. One slots advocate, who asked not to be identified to avoid angering Ehrlich, said Hug called the day after being seen at an O'Malley fundraiser.