Maine: Question 1

With 23 percent of precincts reporting, a referendum question to repeal the beer, wine and soda taxes appears to have strong support

62 percent of the electorate favors the bill, and 37 opposes it, according to preliminary results.

House majority leader Hannah Pingree, who opposed the referendum, said the health care community did a good job putting up a fight, but they were outspent by a $4 million campaign headed by the beverage companies.

Fed Up with Taxes, the group behind the proposed people's veto of the beer, wine and soda tax, has made protecting Maine businesses a key theme in its campaign this fall.

However, a review of the political action committee's finance reports show that it has spent a small proportion of its budget on campaign services from Maine businesses.

The group is backing Question 1, which would repeal the taxes created at the end of this year's legislative session to fund Dirigo, the state's health insurance program.