Ricardo Salles Withdraws from Senate Race in São Paulo

In a significant shift for the upcoming elections in Brazil, federal deputy Ricardo Salles announced his withdrawal from the race for the Senate in the state of São Paulo. The announcement was made on September 28, 2026, just six days before the first round of voting. Salles, who represented the Partido Novo, stated he would now support the candidacies of Guilherme Derrite and André do Prado. These candidates are part of the political coalition backed by the current governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas. Prior to his withdrawal, Salles had been polling at approximately 4% in recent surveys. His decision to step down is viewed by some allies as a strategic move to consolidate votes on the right side of the political spectrum. Mayor of São Paulo Ricardo Nunes described the move as an act of political maturity that avoids splitting the conservative vote. However, the decision has sparked immediate and vocal criticism from his political opponents. Marina Silva, a candidate for the Senate representing the Rede party, characterized the withdrawal as a sign of disrespect toward the voters. Simone Tebet, a candidate for the Senate representing the PSB party, also expressed strong disapproval of the move. Tebet publicly stated that Salles had surrendered to the influence of the Centrão, a powerful bloc of political parties in the Brazilian Congress. She further emphasized that her own campaign remains the only one with the independence and courage to represent the interests of São Paulo in the Senate. Before this development, the race for the two available Senate seats in São Paulo was highly competitive. Recent data from the Datafolha institute showed a technical tie between several candidates, including Marina Silva, Simone Tebet, André do Prado, and Guilherme Derrite. The political landscape in the state remains fluid as voters prepare for the upcoming election. The reactions from both Silva and Tebet highlight the ongoing tensions between different political factions in the country. As the election date approaches, the impact of this realignment on the final results remains a subject of intense discussion among political analysts and the public.