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Brazilian senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of jailed far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro, opened a commanding lead over incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday, according to partial results from the country's presidential election, raising the possibility that he could avoid a runoff altogether.
With roughly a quarter of the country's electronic ballot boxes counted, Flavio Bolsonaro held about 51% of the vote to Lula's 41%, with several other candidates trailing in single digits.
Under Brazilian electoral law, a candidate must win more than 50% of the vote to be declared the outright winner in the first round, avoiding an October 25 runoff.
The early tally marks a sharp departure from pre-election polling, which had shown Lula with a narrow advantage and pointed toward a likely second-round contest between the two men.
Both candidates were tracking the results from their respective political strongholds Sunday: Flavio Bolsonaro from the capital, Brasilia, and Lula from Sao Paulo, where he is scheduled to lead a march of supporters later in the day.
Flavio Bolsonaro, 45, was a relatively obscure senator only a few months ago. His political rise accelerated after his father anointed him as his chosen successor, a role Jair Bolsonaro cannot fill himself.
The elder Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence stemming from an attempted coup following his defeat in the 2022 election.
Lula, 80, is seeking a fourth term leading Latin America's largest nation. His candidacy comes as the region's politics have tilted toward conservative movements in recent months, leaving Brazil as one of the remaining leftist strongholds in South America.
A former metalworker and union leader, Lula previously served two presidential terms from 2003 to 2010 and returned to office after defeating Jair Bolsonaro in the 2022 election.
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