BUENOS AIRES – The candidate backed by Argentina’s business-friendly president, Mauricio Macri, held a wide lead against former President Cristina Fernandez in Sunday’s race for the Senate in the bellwether province of Buenos Aires, early election results showed on Sunday.
With 50 per cent of ballots counted by the interior ministry, Mr Macri’s former education minister Esteban Bullrich had 42.7 per cent versus 36 per cent for Ms Fernandez in the province that is home to nearly 40 per cent of Argentine voters.
The race was being watched is an indicator of Mr Macri’s ability to win a second term in 2019 and ward off a potential comeback by Ms Fernandez.
Ms Fernandez tied with Mr Bullrich in the August primary but has since lagged, failing to unite the opposition. Her expected second-place showing would still grant her one of the province’s three Senate seats under Argentina’s list system.
