In prison, Tarcísio and Bolsonaro discuss Flávio's running mate for the presidential race.
The governor also discussed with Bolsonaro the Senate candidacies for São Paulo.
247 - The governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos), and Jair Bolsonaro (PL) dedicated a good part of the meeting held on Thursday (29), at the 'Papudinha' Penitentiary, in Brasília, to discussions about the 2026 electoral landscape. The conversation focused on possible arrangements for the presidential succession and the Senate races, involving both São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, according to Igor Gadelha, from Metropolis.
Tarcísio and Bolsonaro assessed scenarios ranging from defining a vice-presidential candidate on the ticket headed by Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) to choosing competitive names for the Senate. Among the possibilities mentioned to compose a presidential ticket as Flávio Bolsonaro's running mate are the governor of Minas Gerais, Romeu Zema (Novo), Senator Tereza Cristina (PP-MS), and the former mayor of Salvador, ACM Neto (União Brasil).
In the case of Romeu Zema, the assessment presented in the conversation was that the governor of Minas Gerais could be a strong name for the vice-presidency, provided he agreed to forgo leading his own presidential candidacy. Also weighing in, according to the analysis made at the meeting, would be Zema's performance in electoral polls, especially his ability to dialogue and connect with the electorate of Minas Gerais.
The topic of the Senate race in São Paulo also occupied a significant space in the conversation. Tarcísio reportedly emphasized to Jair Bolsonaro the strategic importance of defining a competitive candidate for the second São Paulo Senate seat, with the goal of preventing the left from gaining ground in the election. The first Senate seat on the ticket for the state is already defined and reserved for federal deputy Guilherme Derrite (PP), former Secretary of Public Security of São Paulo.
Among the names discussed to fill this position are Representatives Gil Diniz (PL), Rosana Valle (PL), Ricardo Salles (Novo), Marco Feliciano (PL), and Mário Frias (PL). Discussions indicate that the final decision still depends on more in-depth political and electoral assessments, as the group seeks to consolidate a competitive strategy for 2026.
