Bolsonaro improves and is tied with Lula da Silva in Rio de Janeiro state

Brazilian presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro is tied with former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Rio de Janeiro with 39% of the vote, according to a poll released today by the Quaest agency.

Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party (PL, right) gained five points compared to the last poll, while Lula of the Workers’ Party (PT, left) received the same level of support.

Ciro Gomes of the center-left Democratic Labor Party (PDT) was third with 6 percent, followed by Simone Tebet of the conservative Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) with 2 percent.

Rio de Janeiro is the second most important political state in the country and the political stronghold of Bolsonaro, who has been a state deputy since the 1990s.

With 12.8 million voters, Rio de Janeiro has the third largest electorate after São Paulo and Minas Gerais, all in the southeastern region.

The Quaest figures released today are part of a nationwide poll released Wednesday in which Lula received 45% of the vote and Bolsonaro 33%.

On the other hand, Claudio Castro, a Bolsonaro-backed candidate for Rio governor, leads in the polls with 25% compared to 19% for Marcelo Freixo, who is backed by Lula.