Washington: Liquor measure behind in votes
A ballot initiative in Washington state that would privatize liquor sales and overhaul beer- and wine-distribution rules is trailing 52% to 48% with more than half the votes tallied. The ballot measure enjoyed the financial support of wholesale-club giant Costco Wholesale Corp. and received additional funding from such retailers as Safeway Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. But an opposition campaign called “Protect Our Communities” received contributions from groups representing brewers Anheuser-Busch InBev NV and MillerCoors LLC, as well as the nation’s beer distributors.