Online betting interests are putting money on state Sen. Shaneka Henson, funding a wave of negative campaign ads against her Republican opponent, Jessica Haire.
Yet neither candidate is the real target for the American Future PAC, or for the $289,000 it has spent on influencing their election.
American Future is playing the long game.
The money in District 30 is part of $3.2 million the PAC has spent so far this year on General Assembly races, with the apparent goal of improving the odds that future lawmakers will vote to legalize online casino games.
A key to that could be Senate President Bill Ferguson, one of Maryland’s most powerful figures.
Ferguson has made electing Henson, who was appointed two years ago, one of his top spending priorities. In buying thousands of digital ads targeting Haire, American Future is aligning itself with the Senate president.
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If the PAC can help him achieve his goals in shaping the Senate and support other key lawmakers, it could influence the outcome of a future vote on online gambling.
The Baltimore Democrat has been skeptical of expanded gaming, and because he controls the Senate agenda, that has been a brick wall.
“I think there are a lot of issues when it comes to internet gaming that we have to work through,” Ferguson told my colleague Pamela Wood in 2025.
The idea has more support in the House of Delegates, which passed legislation to give voters the choice to legalize playing slots, blackjack, poker and other games for money on their phones.
Ferguson, whose district benefits from Horseshoe Casino revenues, expressed doubt and the bill died. This year, a Senate bill to allow the state to grant licenses died without a committee vote.
None of American Future’s spending is at Ferguson’s bidding. It would be illegal for him or any candidate to coordinate with a group spending money independently on elections.
“Senate President Ferguson is focused on electing a strong Democratic majority in the Senate so we can continue making progress on the issues that matter to Marylanders,” said Alexandra Smith, a campaign spokesperson. “Outside groups make their own independent spending decisions, and he has no involvement in directing those expenditures.”
But there are ways to get the senator’s attention.
No one representing American Future responded to a request for comment. Its spending, however, sometimes goes to the same candidates as the $1.65 million Ferguson has directed through the Maryland Democratic Senate Caucus Committee, which he controls.
And it far exceeds it.
The Texas-based PAC has invested in 64 out of 188 state legislative races through August, campaign finance records show.
It is part of Win for America, a massive online gaming industry-funded super PAC pouring tens of millions into state and federal elections, federal election records show.
In at least three Maryland races, the PAC’s spending supplements caucus money.
In addition to supporting Hensons, both are working to reelect Mary-Dulany James in Harford County and elect newcomer Stephanie Popescu to an open seat in northern Baltimore County.
American Future also bet big on Ferguson himself in the primary. As he faced a tougher-than-expected challenge from social media influencer Bobby LaPin, the PAC spent $290,000 on pro-Ferguson ads and mailers in May and June.
It spends money where the caucus has not as well. The PAC bought opposition ads aimed at Del. Frank Conaway Jr. and former Del. Hasan Jalisi. Both Democrats lost in the primary.
The vast majority of American Future’s money, however, has supported Democrats, who control the legislature with supermajorities in both chambers.
The PAC has also steered clear of Ferguson’s top spending priority, state Sen. Ron Watson.
The caucus has spent $424,386 so far to keep the Prince George’s County Democrat in office. Watson is an advocate of legalizing online casino games, and maybe support from the PAC would have backfired.
He introduced a bill in February to allow the state to issue online gaming licenses, telling the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee that online casino games would generate $1.6 billion in tax revenue over five years.
That would help close a projected $3 billion state budget shortfall by 2029. It died without a vote.
The PAC even created a slate of candidates, but because it is working independently, it is not part of their campaigns.
It’s headed by Budget and Taxation Committee Chair Guy Guzzone, but includes key senators and delegates from Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. Henson isn’t on it.
Neither she nor Haire has an opinion on expanding online gaming. Henson isn’t on the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, where gaming bills are likely to go, win or lose.
Nor do Haire and Henson, both experienced campaigners, understand why American Future is spending so much on their race.
Democrats might see it as a priority for any number of reasons. The party has held the seat for decades, and it represents the state capital.
Ferguson’s committee has spent $53,000 to elect Henson, a former delegate.
Henson carries some liabilities. She was removed from a powerful House of Delegates committee after a legislative panel determined that she had violated the chamber’s ethics rules.
The caucus has paid for flyers pointing out Haire’s negatives. It tried to tie her to MAGA Republicans in a Democratic district and to development interests in a county where that can be political poison.
Digital ads paid for by American Future, showing up on your phone as you read or consume other media, hew to the same major points.
Before a recent forum in Gambrills, both candidates distanced themselves from all the negatives.
“No one has brought it up,” Haire said.
Henson said her name wasn’t on the flyers.
“That’s not me,” she said.
Controversial issues move ahead by inches in the Maryland General Assembly, often taking years to reach a final vote. That seems to be what’s happening with online casino games.
No matter who wins the Senate seat in Anne Arundel County or Baltimore County, here’s a winning bet.
The senators will be asked to vote on more online betting.
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