BRASILIA (Reuters – Brazil’s leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lulada Silva raised his lead over Jair Bolsonaro to 17 percent in a recent survey on voter preferences. This was ahead of the October election.

According to polling company Ideia’s survey, Lula would receive 41% votes if the election was held today against Bolsonaro’s 24%, as per the Exame business weekly exame report.

According to the poll, 37% of respondents said that they would vote in favor Lula while 27% agreed with Bolsonaro. In what will be highly polarized races, neither politician has officially declared his candidacy.

The poll revealed that Lula, who was Brazil’s president from 2003-2010, would win against Bolsonaro and any other candidates in the second round vote.

Lula gained ground in areas where Bolsonaro is stronger. This includes southern Brazil and the midwest. Respondents were asked unprompted who they would vote for, without a list, Ideia director Mauricio Moura stated.

Moura reported that Bolsonaro’s government is viewed negatively by more than half the electorate, and only a quarter of them consider it to be great.

Sergio Moro was a former judge and left Bolsonaro as his justice minister in 2020. He is now preparing for a run for the presidency on anti-corruption platforms. The poll revealed that he has 11% support.

Joao Dorizo of the Center-Right in Sao Paulo is in 5th place, just behind Ciro Gomes, a leftist Ceara Governor, who has 7%.

Moura indicated that Bolsonaro and Lula are still viable candidates. Moro, Gomes, and Doria combined received less than 10% each in an unprompted survey.

Ideia conducted a telephone survey of 1,500 respondents between Jan. 9-13. This poll is subject to a margin error of 3 percent up- or down.