Right-Wing Luciano Zucco Elected Governor of Rio Grande do Sul
Conservative Federal Deputy Luciano Zucco secures a first-round victory in Rio Grande do Sul, dealing a blow to President Lula's left-wing coalition.
Federal Deputy Luciano Zucco of the right-wing Liberal Party (PL) was elected governor of Rio Grande do Sul in the first round of voting on October 4, 2026. According to official results from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) reported by Poder360, Zucco secured a decisive 57.8% of the valid votes, bypassing the need for a runoff election in Brazil's southernmost state.
Zucco, a prominent ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro, defeated Juliana Brizola of the Democratic Labour Party (PDT). Brizola, who campaigned with the backing of leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, finished second with approximately 31.8% of the votes. Gabriel Souza of the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB), the state's current vice-governor, finished a distant third with 8.4%.
The landslide represents a rare political milestone for Rio Grande do Sul, a state historically known for highly competitive and deeply divided politics. Zucco's absolute majority marks only the second time since Brazil's redemocratization in 1985 that a gubernatorial candidate has won in the first round in this region.
Who is Luciano Zucco?
A 52-year-old retired Army lieutenant-colonel, Zucco first entered politics in 2018 when he was elected to the state legislature. He rose to national prominence as a staunch defender of agribusiness and property rights. In Congress, he gained significant visibility among conservative voters by presiding over the 2023 Congressional Investigative Committee (CPI) that targeted the Landless Workers' Movement (MST), a key social ally of President Lula's administration.
Rio Grande do Sul is a critical economic engine for Brazil, serving as a major agricultural producer of soy, corn, and livestock, alongside a robust industrial sector. The state was severely impacted by catastrophic flooding in 2024, which placed local reconstruction and federal aid distribution at the center of the political debate. Zucco's campaign capitalized on local frustrations with the federal government's response to the disaster, framing his candidacy as a push for greater regional autonomy and economic recovery.
Shifting the Balance of Power
The result delivers a major blow to President Lula’s coalition in the south. By securing the governorship of Rio Grande do Sul, the conservative opposition solidifies its grip on Brazil’s wealthy southern and southeastern states, which form the heart of the country's agricultural and industrial wealth.
Zucco will succeed Eduardo Leite of the Social Democratic Party (PSDB), who was constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term. Zucco is scheduled to take office on January 1, 2027, alongside his vice-governor-elect, state deputy Silvana Covatti of the Progressistas (PP). This newly formed executive alliance is expected to align the state's policies closely with the conservative bloc in the federal Congress, complicating the Lula administration's legislative agenda for the remainder of its term.