Although the 2018 Jalisco gubernatorial election is still almost three years away, speculation is rife on who may run.
According to a recent poll, Guadalajara Mayor Enrique Alfaro – a close runner-up in 2012 – is the clear favorite, currently garnering 62 percent of the public’s support, way ahead of his nearest rival, Senator Arturo Zamora.
Most analysts expect Alfaro, of the fledgling Citizens Movement, to run and – barring any serious mishaps in the next two years – to be an easy victor. The job of Guadalajara mayor is traditionally seen as a stepping stone to the governorship.
Predictably, Alfaro is playing down the speculation.”I haven’t the remotest idea what’s going to happen in 2018,” he said this week, somewhat ingeniously.
A potential rival could be 26-year-old independent legislator Pedro Kumamoto, who won a stunning victory in last year’s state elections.
“It’s too early to talk about these kind of things,” he said this week, without ruling out a potential run.