Brazil’s Lula taps former rival as his pick for running mate

By MAURICIO SAVARESE
Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has chosen a past rival to be his running mate in October’s election. The pick is seen as aimed at improving the leftist’s traction among centrist voters and shoring up his lead in early polls over incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro. Da Silva held a public meeting at a Sao Paulo hotel with Geraldo Alckmin, a three-term governor of Sao Paulo state who ran against da Silva in the 2006 presidential elections. The selection of Alckmin is pending final approval from the executive committee of da Silva’s Workers’ Party that will convene in coming weeks, and which is widely expected to ratify the pick.