In third place, Rui says he will be elected in the first round.
Last among the three main candidates for governor of Bahia, Rui Costa, from the PT party, is the only one celebrating a poll by the Bahia Research and Statistics Institute (Bapesp) commissioned by the president of the Legislative Assembly, deputy Marcelo Nilo (PDT); the 'DataNilo' poll is the only one that shows Rui with double-digit support; he jumps in two weeks compared to the Ibope poll, rising from 8% to 16%; "This is the most important poll and, based on its results, I have no reason to doubt his victory."
Bahia 247 - Last among the three main candidates for governor of Bahia, Rui Costa, from the PT party, is the only one celebrating a poll by the Bahia Research and Statistics Institute (Bapesp) commissioned by the president of the Legislative Assembly, deputy Marcelo Nilo (PDT), a trusted ally of Governor Jaques Wagner (PT).
Bapesp lacks credibility in political circles, and curiously, all the polls for Wagner's succession conducted by the institute up to that point were commissioned by Marcelo Nilo. Hence the explanation for Bapesp being called 'DataNilo'.
But the fact is that Rui Costa, and even Jaques Wagner, are celebrating the results of the survey, the only one that shows Rui ahead of Senator Lídice da Mata, of the PSB party. Strangely, the Workers' Party candidate jumps in two weeks compared to the Ibope poll, leaping from 8% to 16%.
What reinforces the strangeness of the numbers is that, in the Bapesp poll, Paulo Souto (DEM) and Lídice maintain practically the same scores as in the Ibope poll from two weeks ago. The Democrat remains in the lead, only dropping from 42% (Ibope) to 40%. And Lídice maintains exactly her 13%. As mentioned above, only Rui had a meteoric rise and doubled his score.
'DataNilo' has already had a poll blocked by the Electoral Court, but managed to publish this one which, according to opponents, favors Rui, under number BA-00008/2014 at the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).
"It's important to understand that this game is only just beginning. And I've been working every day thinking about winning in the first round. We'll continue working hard towards that," says Rui Costa.
Although Bapesp is unknown and its credibility is questionable, Rui doesn't hide his euphoria. "This is the most important poll and, based on its results, I have no reason to doubt victory," he says in an article in the Tribuna da Bahia newspaper.
Considered inexperienced to be a candidate for governor, even by allies, the Workers' Party member is impressed and enthusiastic about the "receptiveness" he has found, according to him, in the more than 60 cities he has already visited in this first month of the campaign.
In polls conducted by reputable institutes such as Ibope, Datafolha, and Vox Populi, Rui Costa never exceeded 9% of the voting intentions of Bahia residents.