Replies to post #8740 on The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[DewDiligence]

Things are getting interesting in Brazil, where Dilma Rousseff is no longer a shoo-in to be re-elected:

http://online.wsj.com/articles/silva-has-strong-shot-at-brazils-presidency-poll-1408372505

Barely a week ago, Marina Silva was a vice-presidential hopeful running with Eduardo Campos, who was polling a distant third with about 8% of the vote at the time of his death, leaving Ms. Silva poised to take his place at the top of the ticket.

The survey by polling firm Datafolha showed Ms. Silva—whose candidacy hasn't yet been officially announced by her party, but is widely expected in coming days—not only appears be a stronger candidate than Mr. Campos, but would have a viable shot at defeating incumbent President Dilma Rousseff of the leftist Workers' Party in the event of a second-round runoff vote.

Ms. Rousseff remains the favorite in the first round, with 36% of the vote, compared with 21% for Ms. Silva and 20% for Aécio Neves of the center-right Social Democracy Party. But that wouldn't be enough votes to avoid a runoff. The poll showed Ms. Silva garnering 47% in a second round of voting compared with 43% for the incumbent, with a two-percentage-point margin of error.