How important is the vice president in Brazil?

Back in 2014, then-U.S. Vice President Joe Biden used one word to sum up his job: “a bitch.” In the U.S., though, the vice president has important responsibilities, such as serving as the president of the Senate and deciding votes when there’s a deadlock. Americans even hold vice presidential debates during election seasons, to assess who will be the future second in command. In Brazil, the office is pretty much ignored by the public, with virtually no institutional responsibilities other than being an emergency “just-in-case” option.

While vice presidential nominees are hardly the stars once the campaign starts, there is a race among the most competitive candidates to get the best running mates. So far, they have all failed to get their ideal name, which adds to the uncertainty of this year’s election. Four years ago, all of the top dogs in the race had already decided who would be on their tickets by this point.

Businessman Josué Gomes is this year’s belle of the ball. He has been coveted by parties that range from the center-right Geraldo Alckmin, of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party, all the way to the Workers’ Party –...