PT gives a lesson on how to lose an election, says Noblat.

247 - Rebellious city, Recife doesn't like having decisions made for it. Because of this, several voters who wouldn't vote for Mayor João da Costa, who has been abandoned by the PT (Workers' Party) even after winning the primaries against Maurício Rands, are now considering doing so. According to columnist Ricardo Noblat, the PT should support his candidacy, but instead is giving a masterclass in how to lose an election. Read more:

PT of Recife: How to try to lose an election, by Ricardo Noblat

Take a mayor of a capital city who is running for reelection, leading in the polls, but with modest popularity.

Make him compete in a primary against a candidate supported by three of his party's four federal deputies, four of the five state deputies, the party's only senator, the state governor, and a former president of the Republic. 

Once he surprisingly wins the primary, find an excuse to cancel it. Then schedule another one. And on the eve of the new primary, have his opponent withdraw from the competition.

Dispatch emissaries to convince the mayor to forgo reelection and support a third candidate.

Threaten to expel him from the party. Finally, summon him to a meeting in another state.

What will be the outcome of this story? I don't know. It began in Recife two months ago. It could reach its conclusion tomorrow in São Paulo.

The mayor's name is João da Costa. He is from the PT (Workers' Party). His opponent in the annulled primary was federal deputy Maurício Rands. João's fate is in the hands of the PT's National Executive Committee.

Less... 

John's fate is also in his own hands.

Polls conducted over the last 10 days for internal use by various parties show growth in his candidacy.

Voters who have never voted for the PT (Workers' Party) are beginning to admit they might do so. The city, with its reputation for rebellion, is restless. It hates having decisions made for it. If João puts his foot down and resists...

If you can't resist, it's best to say goodbye to politics. You have no future.

Recife's memory doesn't record a similar episode. For two months, the city's mayor was vilified by the main leaders of his own party. The leaders of the other parties listened with satisfaction.

They even accused him of being a thief. In the end, nothing that was said against him was proven. What then explains such a display of fury?

Political ambition, of course. Is there a more powerful fuel? 

Ambition on the part of several actors. Starting with another João who ruled Recife for eight years and nominated João da Costa to succeed him.

João Paulo, a federal deputy, sponsored João da Costa's candidacy against the wishes of Lula and the Construindo um Novo Brasil (CNB) faction, the majority within the PT.

João da Costa had been the Planning Secretary in João Paulo's government. He was a technician above all else. Like Dilma, he had never faced an election. He won with the slogan "João is João".

The two Joãos had a falling out less than a year after Costa's victory. The gates of hell opened for the current mayor when João Paulo announced his intention to succeed him.

Governor Eduardo Campos (PSB) aspires to choose his successor in two years. João Paulo is the PT candidate with the widest acceptance in the state. If he were to return as mayor, it would be only natural for him to aspire to Eduardo's position. 

João Paulo ended up marginalized thanks to Eduardo and Lula, who joined forces against him.

Eduardo is Lula's adopted political son.

The next move by the two was to torpedo João da Costa's reelection – Lula because he doesn't like him, Eduardo because he fears that some parties that support him will run for mayor of Recife with their own candidates if João da Costa's candidacy becomes weak.

They abused the mayor so much that he decided to confront them.

“The majority of the Municipal Directorate supports me. If there is a convention, I will win,” João da Costa assures. “Just as I won the annulled primary. Just as I would win the canceled primary.”

The PT's national leadership is aware of this. The matter will be examined by the party's Executive Committee, composed of 22 members – 11 from the CNB, a faction that opposes the mayor. And why does it oppose him?

Out of ambition, of course.

Lula wants Senator Humberto Costa as a candidate for mayor of Recife. Humberto is from the CNB party. Eduardo agrees. Imagine that with only two years as mayor, Humberto wouldn't abandon the position to try to get elected governor.

In 2008, of the mayors of capital cities running for reelection, 95% won. In May of that year, Gilberto Kassab, mayor of São Paulo, had 13% of the voting intentions – well behind Marta Suplicy (PT) and Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB). Kassab beat both in the first round and Marta again in the second.

That's the logic behind reelection.

João da Costa doesn't have the clout to single-handedly stand up to all those people who want to remove him from the scene early.

But all those people will lose the election against him.