Pro-slots group to campaign at Preakness

ANNAPOLIS, MD – (AP) The head of a pro-slots group is getting ready to campaign at the Preakness Stakes this weekend in hopes of winning some votes for November's slots referendum.

Frederick Puddester was appointed by Governor Martin O'Malley to be the chairman of a group called For Maryland, For Our Future.

Puddester says there will be volunteers at the Preakness in Baltimore on Saturday to encourage people to support the slots referendum.

Puddester says slots are needed to fill a roughly $700 million hole in the state budget without cutting education funding. He says it's also needed to help save the sport of racing in Maryland.

Puddester also says the group is in the process of raising money for a pro-slots campaign, but he's keeping mum on how much has been raised.