Gilberto Kassab, the president of the PSD party, has indicated to his allies that he will announce the name of Ratinho Jr., the current governor, as the pre-candidate for the Presidency of the party next week. This information has been confirmed by three high-ranking members of the party who regard Ratinho Jr. as a leading candidate for the internal competition. However, they are cautious in firmly asserting this choice, as final discussions might alter the outcome.

The strategy behind this early announcement is to facilitate Ratinho Jr.'s campaign structuring and national introduction, particularly since Senator Flávio Bolsonaro has emerged as a formidable candidate within his party at a much quicker pace than anticipated. The PSD party leadership and governors aimed to reveal their candidate sooner to ensure they remain competitive in the political landscape, especially in light of the expeditious rise of Bolsonaro's candidacy.

Initially, the PSD leadership believed that the transfer of support from former President Jair Bolsonaro to his eldest son would take longer than it did. They had planned to finalize their candidate selection by April, coinciding with the end of the party switch window for candidates on April 4. Nevertheless, with the unfolding political dynamics, the PSD is now compelled to rethink their timeline and strategies to sustain relevancy in the upcoming elections, highlighting the competitive fluidity of Brazilian politics.