Brazil’s far-right presidential candidate can’t win over the establishment

From July 20 to August 5, Brazil’s political parties are allowed to hold their national conventions. These events are used to launch candidacies for the upcoming general elections and to make coalitions official. In the latter case, it is common for allies to step up onto the podium during each other’s party conventions. But on July 22, when the Social Liberal Party launches far-right Congressman Jair Bolsonaro as its presidential candidate, chances are that the party will be there all alone.

Mr. Bolsonaro has struggled to find a running mate from outside of his comfort zone. He had courted the Party of the Republic, a right-wing group led by a former convicted felon. If the alliance had prospered, the vice-presidential nominee of his dreams would have been Magno Malta, a senator-cum-evangelical crooner. But Mr. Malta didn’t want to give up on a slam-dunk reelection campaign....