Jorginho Mello leads Santa Catarina gubernatorial polls

In the race for the governorship of Santa Catarina, current Governor Jorginho Mello (PL) leads in recent polling. According to a survey by the Instituto de Pesquisa Catarinense (IPC), Mello holds 55.9% of the voting intentions in a stimulated poll, positioning him for a potential first-round reelection. João Rodrigues (PSD) follows in second place with 18.1%.

During a recent political debate, the candidates engaged in heated exchanges. João Rodrigues confronted Mello regarding campaign advertisements that referenced Rodrigues's 2018 arrest, accusing the Governor of using the issue to destabilize his family and confuse voters. Rodrigues noted that the legal episode had significant psychological impacts on his wife and daughters.

In the spontaneous portion of the IPC poll, Mello also led with 38.9% of mentions, while 38% of respondents were unable to name a candidate. Gelson Merisio (PSB) was identified as the candidate with the highest rejection rate among the electorate.