How could Senator Aécio Neves’ downfall hurt Geraldo Alckmin’s presidential hopes?

On October 26, 2014, Senator Aécio Neves gave his concession speech after losing the presidential race to Dilma Rousseff. His tone, however, was far from somber. Aécio had won over 51 million votes and managed to turn what was anticipated to be a slam dunk election for Rousseff into the fiercest campaign in Brazil’s democratic history. Aécio lost the election by less than two percent of the votes.

While the Workers’ Party Era was showing signs of nearing its end, Aécio’s time in the limelight was just beginning. A political mastermind, he seemed to have what it would take to reach the country’s highest office....