Allyson Bezerra of União Brasil and Cadu Xavier of the Workers’ Party will face each other in the runoff for governor of Rio Grande do Norte on 25 October 2026.
First-round results
The Superior Electoral Court reported that Bezerra captured 36.94% of the valid votes, while Xavier received 36.16%. The margin between them was 15,509 votes, a narrow gap that set the stage for a decisive second round.
To win outright in the first round a candidate must obtain more than half of the valid ballots. Neither contender reached that threshold, triggering the runoff as prescribed by electoral law.
Former Natal mayor Álvaro Dias, running under the Liberal Party, finished third with 26.71% of the vote, eliminating him from the final contest.
Candidate profiles
Bezerra, 34, hails from Mossoró. He holds degrees in science, technology and civil engineering, and he once led the technical-staff union at the Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid region. His political debut came in 2018 when he won a seat in the state legislature.
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He was elected mayor of his hometown in 2020 and reelected in 2024, but stepped down in March 2026 to pursue the governorship. Voters will see his ballot number as 44.
Xavier, known as “Cadu de Lula,” was born in Rio de Janeiro and built a career as a computer-engineering professional. Since 2005 he has served as a fiscal auditor for the state treasury, later heading the State Tax Secretariat from 2019.
In 2023 he became the inaugural head of the newly formed State Finance Secretariat and chaired the national committee of state finance secretaries through 2025. He resigned from the post in April 2026 to run for governor; his ballot number is 13.
Former Natal mayor Álvaro Dias has a long history in state politics. Born in Caicó, he began his career in 1988 as vice-mayor of his hometown and later served as a state deputy from 1990 to 2003, including a stint as president of the state legislature between 1997 and 2003. He also held a seat in the federal Chamber of Deputies from 2003 to 2007. Dias ran for vice-governor in 2010, served as Natal’s mayor from 2018 to 2024, and contested the governorship in 2026.
Campaign focus
Union Brasil’s contender emphasizes local development projects, citing his experience overseeing municipal services and infrastructure upgrades in his hometown. He argues that hands-on governance can accelerate growth in the state’s interior.
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The PT nominee highlights fiscal discipline, drawing on his tenure leading the state’s tax authority and the newly created finance department. He promises to modernize revenue collection and improve budgeting transparency.
Supporters of the former capital’s mayor point to his long-standing involvement in regional politics, noting his early entry into public office in the late 1980s and subsequent legislative leadership roles. Their narrative stresses continuity and seasoned governance.
First-round date and withdrawn Rio Grande do Norte candidate
The first round of the 2026 elections was held on 4 October, as scheduled by the Superior Electoral Court.
Rodrigo Bolsonaro, born Karlo Rodrigo Lúcio Vieira in Natal, is a 46-year-old businessman. He sought the mayoralty of João Câmara in 2016 and the state governorship in 2022 without winning, and he announced his withdrawal from the 2026 Rio Grande do Norte gubernatorial race before the first round. He adopted ballot name Rodrigo Bolsonaro for his candidacies.
Electoral context
Eliminated contenders included Arinalda of the MLB (UP), Dário Barbosa of the PSTU, Henrique Lyra of the PCO, and Gladyer Linhares of the Christian Democracy party.
