(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Jose Serra of the opposition Brazilian Party of Social Democracy (PSDB) is the unequivocal frontrunner in the early stages of the South American country’s presidential race, according to a poll by Instituto Sensus. 42.8 per cent of respondents would vote for the governor of the state of Sao Paulo in the 2010 ballot.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Jose Serra of the opposition Brazilian Party of Social Democracy (PSDB) is the unequivocal frontrunner in the early stages of the South American country’s presidential race, according to a poll by Instituto Sensus. 42.8 per cent of respondents would vote for the governor of the state of Sao Paulo in the 2010 ballot.
Dilma Rousseff, chief of staff of current president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and a member of the Worker’s Party (PT), is a distant second with 13.5 per cent, followed by Heloisa Helena of the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL) with 11.2 per cent. 16.1 per cent of respondents remain undecided.
Lula—a member of the PT—won the October 2002 presidential election with 61 per cent of the vote in a run-off against Serra. In October 2006, he earned a new four-year term, defeating PSDB candidate Geraldo Alckmin with 60.8 per cent of the vote in the second round. Lula, one of the most popular presidents in Brazilian history, is ineligible for a third consecutive term in office.
Serra recently referred to his remarkable popularity in voting intention polls, saying, "I have enough experience to know that a poll doesn’t win you an election. (…) Sao Paulo is a very difficult place to govern and I make a great effort in focusing all of my attention in the managing of this state."
Polling Data
Which of these candidates would you vote for in the next presidential election?
|
|
Jan. 2009
|
Dec. 2008
|
Sept. 2008
|
|
Jose Serra (PSDB)
|
42.8%
|
46.5%
|
45.7%
|
|
Dilma Rousseff (PT)
|
13.5%
|
10.4%
|
10.0%
|
|
Heloisa Helena (PSOL)
|
11.2%
|
12.5%
|
12.5%
|
|
None / Blank ballot
|
16.5%
|
17.2%
|
17.5%
|
|
Not sure / Undecided
|
16.1%
|
13.4%
|
14.3%
|
Source: Instituto Sensus
Methodology: Interviews with 2,000 Brazilian adults, conducted from Jan. 26 to Jan. 30. 2009. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
