Datafolha poll: Cleitinho leads Minas Gerais governor race with 32%; Patrus and Kalil at 12% each

Senator Cleitinho Azevedo is leading the contest for Governor of Minas Gerais, capturing 32% of voter intentions, a new Datafolha poll revealed Friday. The survey places Azevedo, affiliated with the Republicanos party, significantly ahead of his closest rivals.

Trailing Azevedo are Patrus Ananias and Alexandre Kalil, who are locked in a tie for second place. Both candidates garnered 12% support in the poll. The significant gap between the frontrunner and the trailing candidates suggests a clear preference among a portion of the electorate at this stage of the campaign.

The Datafolha poll, conducted after the official registration of candidacies, offers an early look at the electoral landscape in Minas Gerais. The results indicate that Azevedo has established an early lead, but the race for second place remains highly competitive. Further campaigning and potential shifts in voter sentiment will shape the final outcome.