Goiás Senate race: Gracinha Caiado leads polls amid political shifts

Political dynamics in Brazil are shifting as the 2026 election cycle approaches. In Goiás, Gracinha Caiado (União Brasil) leads the race for the Senate according to Quaest and Real Time Big Data polls, securing between 21% and 27% of voter intentions. She is followed by Gustavo Gayer (PL), who holds approximately 12% to 17% of the vote.

The campaign in Goiás is marked by internal tensions within the government coalition. Gustavo Mendanha (PRD) has criticized Caiado's inexperience, while Caiado has accused Mendanha of misogynistic conduct. Additionally, Mendanha has gained support from four secretaries of Goiânia's administration, emphasizing municipalism.

On the national stage, several figures are emerging as potential contenders. Augusto Cury, a psychiatrist and writer from the Avante party, is gaining visibility despite the party's historical alignment with the Lula administration. Meanwhile, Ronaldo Caiado's national media presence is seen as a potential boost for his wife, Gracinha, and his own presidential ambitions. Other names being tested in presidential polls include Lula, Flávio Bolsonaro, Pablo Marçal, and Romeu Zema.

In regional matters, candidates like Pábio Mossoró are focusing on the needs of the Distrito Federal's surrounding municipalities, and Gracinha Caiado has pledged to secure federal resources to improve basic sanitation in Anápolis.