Brazil’s 2026 presidential race has narrowed to a tight runoff between incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Workers’ Party and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party after the October 4 first round produced no majority winner. Flávio Bolsonaro outperformed most pre-election surveys, securing roughly 47 percent of valid votes to Lula’s 45 percent and advancing to the October 25 contest. Key voter concerns include economic growth, public debt, crime, and corruption. Jair Bolsonaro remains imprisoned following his 2022 defeat and subsequent conviction. Eliminated first-round candidates have signaled they will not endorse either side, leaving both campaigns focused on consolidating moderate and protest votes in the final three weeks. The race remains highly competitive, with turnout patterns and last-minute shifts in swing regions likely to determine the outcome.