Cleitinho Azevedo Allies Push Republicanos for Governor Candidacy Amid Party Doubts

Senator Cleitinho Azevedo's allies insist he will continue to push the national Republicanos party leadership to allow him to run for governor of Minas Gerais. The party, however, has reportedly decided against backing his candidacy after months of wavering from the senator.

Sources close to Azevedo state he plans to meet with the party's national president, Deputy Marcos Pereira, to present his case. A key argument will be his strong performance in polls, with a recent Quaest survey showing him with 35% of first-round voter intention, 23 points ahead of his closest rival, former Belo Horizonte Mayor Alexandre Kalil. Azevedo also reportedly wins all second-round simulations.

Despite the favorable polling, the Republicanos leadership has expressed frustration with Azevedo's indecisiveness. According to a party insider, the senator changed his mind three times on a single Sunday, initially stating he would not run, then reconsidering, and finally backing out again. This instability has reportedly stalled the party's strategic planning.

The Republicanos officially stated on Wednesday that they would not grant Azevedo a nomination. His failure to attend the party's state convention on Saturday was seen as the final straw. The party's state president, Deputy Euclydes Pettersen, issued a statement noting that while the party had kept dialogue open and offered political conditions, Azevedo's commitment never solidified. "A candidacy requires, above all, the firm decision of whoever intends to contest it. Such a decision never happened," Pettersen stated.

With Azevedo out, the Republicanos in Minas Gerais are now leaning towards supporting former deputy Marcelo Aro for governor. The PL party is also considering Aro, hoping to secure PP's support for Flávio Bolsonaro's presidential bid. While the PP-União Brasil federation is officially neutral, Azevedo's allies are still pushing for an alliance. The PL is exploring options, including backing Aro or launching its own candidate.

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Durante meses, o partido manteve diálogo aberto, ofereceu as condições políticas necessárias, atraiu partidos aliados e aguardou uma definição clara do senador.