Juntos por el Cambio (JxC)’s ally coalition in Santa Fe, Unidos para Cambiar Santa Fe, won 63% of the vote in the provincial primaries. Former provincial Security Minister Maximiliano Pullaro beat rival Carolina Losada to secure his place in the general elections. He was the most voted candidate, with 32.5% of valid votes.

JxC is celebrating the outcome — although Sunday’s results are not a direct reflection of voter intention in the national elections. Santa Fe is Argentina’s third largest province, with a population of 3.2 million.

“I feel change is upon Argentina. It’s a kind of change that does not seem to stop at any point in our country, and that is clear with Unidos and JxC’s victory in the province,” Pullaro said after the preliminary results were announced last night.

With 98.7% of votes counted, Juntos Avancemos — allied with the national ruling front Unión por la Patria (UxP) — got 27.9% of the vote. Their governor candidate Marcelo Lewandowski got 18% of valid votes.

Three minor candidates also made it through to the main election, but none got over 3%.

Santa Fe will hold general elections on September 10 to vote for governor, vice governor, mayors, legislators, and other authorities. The winners will be decided that day, as the province does not hold run-offs.

Incumbent governor Omar Perotti, a peronist aligned with UxP, cannot run for re-election because the provincial constitution limits him to one term. 

Pullaro secured 52% of the votes within his coalition, beating rival Carolina Losada and Mónica Fein. 

Within peronist Juntos Avancemos, Lewandowski won 64% of the vote, beating three rivals, none of whom got over 15%.

Voter turnout was low, at just 63%. Voting is mandatory in Argentina, and according to the government’s Political Electoral Observatory, turnout is usually over 75% in Santa Fe, although it tends to be lower in primaries.

Juntos por el Cambio rivalry

Pullaro’s victory over Losada is a win for Buenos Aires city Mayor and JxC presidential candidate Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, who publicly backed him.

Larreta has already given his support to JxC governors-elect Claudio Poggi (San Luis) and Marcelo Orrego (San Juan) and Leandro Zdero in Chaco, who was elected JxC’s candidate in that province’s primaries.

Losada was JxC presidential hopeful Patricia Bullrich’s candidate. So far, none of the candidates she has backed have won in the provinces.