How much of a role will Covid play in the Brazilian election?

Covid caused unspeakable tragedy in Brazil and around the world. With over 660,000 recorded deaths to date — and scores of Brazilians still dying from the disease every day — the long-term public health consequences of the pandemic remain difficult to measure or forecast. 

However, when it comes to the political fallout from the crisis, Brazil may be about to get some answers in less than six months.

At the beginning of the health crisis, analysts were split as to how the coronavirus would affect political popularity. Some believed that a strong response to the pandemic would be an open goal for leaders around the world — a golden opportunity to boost their standing among the electorate. 

Indeed, in April 2020, The Brazilian Report compiled polling data from several countries and found that even embattled heads of state in the UK, Italy, and Chile gained popularity in the early stages of Covid-19. Only presidents in Brazil and Mexico — where the initial pandemic...