As Runoff Campaign Begins, Bolsonaro Has 58% and Haddad, 42%

The far-right representative only loses for the PT candidate in the Northeast; Bolsonaro voters rank high among the wealthy and college-educated

Igor Gielow Luciana Coelho
São Paulo

The first Datafolha poll in the presidential runoff campaign shows Jair Bolsonaro (PSL) with a wide lead over Fernando Haddad (PT).

Bolsonaro has 58% of valid votes, while the former São Paulo mayor would be the choice of 42% of the poll sample.

The results reflect how the Electoral Courts count votes on Election Day, by excluding the respondents who said they would cast null or blank ballots. They also confirm the conservative wave that almost made Bolsonaro win in the first round when he had 46% of valid votes and Haddad, 29%.

Datafolha interviewed 3,235 people in 227 townships on Wednesday (10). Folha and TV Globo commissioned the survey. The margin of error is two points up or down.

Jair Bolsonaro, far-right lawmaker and presidential candidate of the Social Liberal Party and Fernando Haddad, presidential candidate of Brazil's leftist Workers' Party (PT) - REUTERS

When total voting intentions are counted, both runoff candidates absorbed evenly the voters left by the other runners.

Bolsonaro's votes are also well spread around the country, with the exception of the Northeastern states. Like the first round, Haddad has 52% of total votes in the region, against 32% for Bolsonaro.  

This phenomenon explains why Bolsonaro has been targeting Northeastern voters, many of whom depend on welfare programs.

Translated by NATASHA MADOV

Read the article in the original language  

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