São Paulo governor Tarcísio de Freitas faces PT campaign offensive

The PT pre‑campaign, led by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Fernando Haddad, is concentrating its effort on the interior of São Paulo, deploying figures such as Vice‑President Geraldo Alckmin, Márcio França, Simone Tebet and Marina Silva to challenge Governor Tarcísio de Freitas. The strategy highlights the governor’s perceived security shortcomings and his alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump, which Haddad says has hurt the state’s economy. Haddad posted, “Quem defende São Paulo não bate continência para o entreguismo,” accusing Tarcísio and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro of “costing” São Paulo through tariff policies.

Deputy Erika Hilton criticized the Senate’s failure to schedule a vote on the 6×1 work‑scale amendment, calling the delay “inadmissible,” and rebuffed Tarcísio’s remarks about Senate candidates Simone Tebet and Marina Silva, saying he “only lacked buying a CEP.” Smaller left‑wing parties (PSTU, UP, PCB) have captured about 13 % of voter intention, positioning themselves as a third‑force to wear down both Tarcísio and Haddad. The PT campaign also plans to link Tarcísio’s image to controversies surrounding Flávio Bolsonaro and other Bolsonaro family members, aiming to raise the governor’s rejection rate as the 2026 gubernatorial race intensifies.