União Brasil plans to formalize the pre-candidacy of the governor of Goiás, Ronaldo Caiado, for the Presidency of the Republic in an event scheduled for March 2025, in the city of Salvador.
The choice of the Bahian capital should coincide with the ceremony in which Caiado will receive the title of citizen of Bahia in the Legislative Assembly. The honor was proposed in 2013 by the current re-elected mayor of the capital, Bruno Reis, at the time a state deputy. Reis, one of the party’s main stars, is full of praise for the governor, whom he calls “the best in Brazil”.
The choice of Salvador, one of the most important electoral strongholds in the Northeast, reflects Caiado’s strategy to increase his visibility in the region. The Northeast and especially Bahia is where the PT maintains strong influence and where President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the PT’s biggest name, has a large advantage in the votes in the last elections. União Brasil has solid bases in Salvador, with big names such as former mayor ACM Neto and his successor, Bruno Reis, both enthusiastic about Caiado’s candidacy. They and the governor are part of the party group coming from the Democrats, which merged with the PSL.
The event in Salvador symbolizes the beginning of a structured campaign to project Caiado as a competitive alternative on the national scene, capable of attracting the support of voters from the right and the center. The strategy includes directly confronting PT rule in Bahia, a state governed by the party for almost two decades, in addition to intensifying polarization with Lula, especially on issues such as public security and state autonomy.
The national leadership of União Brasil should meet in January to outline the next steps and align the support structure for the pre-candidacy. At the beginning of 2025, Caiado plans an intense schedule of visits to states where the party has elected mayors, reinforcing its presence in strategic areas. Furthermore, the governor intends to highlight achievements of his administration, such as Goiás’ public safety indexes, which he frequently points to as a national reference.
Although Caiado’s candidacy has the support of important leaders of União Brasil, it faces internal resistance from sectors that prefer to maintain alignment with the Lula government, in which the party occupies ministries. The construction of his candidacy will, therefore, be a test not only for the governor, but also for the cohesion and future of União Brasil on the national political scene.
Caiado, second-term governor and former federal deputy and senator, ran for president in 1989, in the first direct election after the military regime.
