Ciro Gomes launches pre-candidacy for the government of Ceará

Former minister Ciro Gomes (PSDB) launched his pre-candidacy for the government of Ceará this Saturday, the 16th, in Fortaleza. Returning to the PSDB, the party he was affiliated with when he was elected governor of the state in the 1990s, Ciro stated that he will invite the former mayor of Fortaleza Roberto Cláudio (União Brasil) to be vice-president on his ticket.

During his speech, Ciro said that “loyalty and gratitude” guide his candidacy for the government of Ceará and called those who governed the State in the last ten years “lax”. Former Minister of Education Camilo Santana (PT) governed the State for two terms from 2015 to 2022 and, since 2023, Elmano de Freitas (PT) has been in office.

Ciro criticized the current management and mainly explored the issue of public security. According to him, criminal factions dominated the State and the people of Ceará live “terrorized”.

“Do you know how many police chiefs have been hired in the last ten years by these weaklings who govern Ceará? None,” he said.

During the speech, Ciro also said that he allied himself with former opponents because of the size of the challenge he needs to face. He praised Bolsonaro federal deputy André Fernandes (PL), whom he called a “young talent” and a “great deputy”. The toucan also highlighted his alliance with Captain Wagner (União), who is expected to run for the Senate. According to him, the alliance is to “free Ceará from the greatest evil”.

The pre-candidate stated that he did not think about running for government, and classified his performance in the 2022 elections, when he was a candidate for President of the Republic, as “humiliation”.

“I became a candidate, but it wasn’t my plan by any stretch of the imagination, I’m already at the age to calm down. Especially, after what I went through with humiliation in 2022, in the elections. I came third in Sobral, in my city, that hurts like hell,” he stated.

Ciro stated that his candidates for the Senate have two missions: “toughen lax laws” to punish organized crime and “put a brake on this rotten side of the Federal Supreme Court”.

Former senator Tasso Jereissati was also at the event and spoke. In his speech, he mentioned Ciro’s refusal to run for President in this year’s elections.

Voting Intentions

Genial/Quaest research released at the end of April shows Ciro well positioned in both the first and second rounds of the state elections.

Without the presence of Camilo Santana (PT) in the first round, Ciro appears with 41% of voting intentions, compared to 32% for current governor Elmano de Freitas (PT). When Camilo is included in the scenario, however, the PT leader leads with 40%, compared to 33% for Ciro.

For the second round, Camilo has 44% of voting intentions, against 39% for Ciro, which is considered a technical tie within the margin of error. In a confrontation against Elmano, Ciro appears numerically ahead, with 46% against 35%.