The dispute for the government of Maranhão in the first round of the 2026 elections placed themes such as job creation and economic development, health, education, public security, infrastructure and management of public services at the center of the campaign.
Throughout the interviews, debates and agendas monitored by g1, seven of the eight candidacies had proposals and commitments registered, with different paths to face the state's problems.
For this balance, reports on campaign agendas, interviews and debates with the participation of candidates followed by g1 throughout the electoral period were considered. The proposals and themes presented by the candidates in these spaces were also analyzed.
In the analyzed set, public security, economy and job creation, education and health appeared recurrently. Infrastructure and public management were also present at different times, while transport and mobility, environment, sanitation, housing and culture appeared associated with specific proposals in the candidacies.
André Luís (Missão), Dimas Cassimiro (PCO), Eduardo Braide (PSD), Felipe Camarão (PT), Orleans Brandão (MDB), Reginaldo Lima (PCB), Roberto Rocha (PRTB) and Saulo Arcangeli (PSTU) are contesting the government.
Dimas Cassimiro (PCO) was the only one of the eight candidates who did not disclose any campaign agenda to g1 during the period monitored.
See the main proposals presented by each candidate.
André Luís (Mission)
Businessman and first-time candidate for the government of Maranhão, André Luís highlighted public security, economic development, industrialization, reduction of the administrative structure and changes in the provision of public services during the campaign.
In security, he presented the project he called “defavelization and toughening of sentences”. The candidate linked the proposal to combating criminal organizations and expanding the State's presence in communities, with the opening of streets, access to documents related to housing and credit for renovations.
André also linked economic development to the preparation of local workers to fill vacancies generated by the arrival of new investments. During the debate on TV Mirante, he returned to the topic by defending an industrialization plan based on the economic characteristics of each municipality and the reduction of government expenses to expand investments.
In the state administration, André proposed reducing commissioned positions, merging secretariats and abolishing the Political Articulation Secretariat. In health, he defended a public competition and presented the proposal to create the Hospital do Povo Maranhense.
Dimas Cassimiro (PCO)
Higher education professor, Dimas Cassimiro is running for governor of Maranhão for the first time. Previously, he had already run for state deputy, in 2018, and for federal deputy, in 2022, for the PCO.
Throughout the entire electoral campaign, Dimas Cassimiro did not disclose any campaign agenda to g1.
Eduardo Braide (PSD)
Former mayor of São Luís, former state deputy and former federal deputy, Eduardo Braide focused part of the proposals on public management, tax reduction, health, education, infrastructure and regional development.
One of the measures most cited by the candidate was the reduction in the Tax on Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS) rate. To compensate for a possible loss of revenue, Braide stated that he intends to cut expenses considered non-essential and reduce the government's administrative structure. Among the measures, he cited the extinction of two of the three structures that, according to him, perform similar functions.
In education, he proposed prioritizing the presence of teachers in state schools and increasing the support given to municipalities for transporting high school students.
In health, Braide promised to carry out what he called a “management shock” in the first 100 days of government and defended reducing “political influence in the administration of state hospitals”. He also presented proposals to expand hospital structures in the interior.
Braide also defended taking advantage of the economic characteristics of each region, expanding technical assistance to producers, investing in irrigation and technology and stimulating the industrialization of raw materials within Maranhão. In the debate on TV Mirante, the candidate also placed road infrastructure among his priorities and cited works in different regions of the state.
Felipe Camarão (PT)
Vice-governor of Maranhão, former state secretary of Education and first-time candidate for government, Felipe Camarão mainly highlighted proposals linked to education, social policies, traditional populations, culture and security.
Education was among the topics addressed by the candidate during the campaign. Camarão proposed expanding full-time schools, strengthening professional education, valuing teachers, expanding the State Institutes of Education, Science and Technology of Maranhão (Iemas) and resuming the Escola Digna program.
The candidate also defended expanding policies aimed at indigenous peoples, quilombolas and rural communities, involving education, health and job and income generation.
In the social area, Camarão presented the Minha Casa Digna program to expand housing construction in partnership with the federal government. In sanitation, he stated that he does not intend to privatize Caema and proposed investments in the company, public tenders and partnerships with municipalities.
Policies for women also appeared in the campaign. The candidate defended the regionalization of the Maria da Penha Patrol and the expansion of the Casas da Mulher Maranhense, bringing together security services, legal assistance and psychosocial care.
In culture, Camarão proposed creating a permanent calendar of cultural events and internalizing the sector's policies, relating culture, tourism and income generation. The candidate also defended investments in family farming, professional qualification and generation of employment and income as instruments for reducing inequalities.
Orleans Brandão (MDB)
Former Secretary of State for Municipal Affairs and candidate for the first time for an elected position, Orleans Brandão highlighted during the campaign proposals related to employment and income, health, education, infrastructure, security, tax reduction and continuity of programs under the current state administration.
In the economy, Orleans stated that he intends to reduce the ICMS and grant incentives for the installation of companies, but linked the tax reduction to maintaining the State's fiscal balance. It also proposed expanding the IPVA exemption for motorcycles of up to 180 cc and extending the exemption to app drivers.
The generation of employment and income appeared associated with the fight against poverty. During the campaign, the candidate used the current administration's Maranhão Livre da Fome program as a reference and stated that he intends to expand qualification policies and job opportunities.
In health, he defended expanding the regionalization of care, polyclinics, hemodialysis centers and hospitals, in addition to the use of telemedicine. In education, he proposed expanding full-time schools, technical and vocational education and entrepreneurship programs for young people.
For security, Orleans presented the Cinturão da Paz program, with video monitoring in 217 municipalities, and defended new competitions, professional development and acquisition of equipment.
Infrastructure and mobility also had space. The candidate proposed expanding the ferry system and making improvements to the MA-014, MA-106 and MA-006 highways, focusing on mobility in Baixada Maranhense.
Reginaldo Lima (PCB)
Radio broadcaster, born in Imperatriz and candidate for the state government for the first time, Reginaldo Lima had the city of Imperatriz as the base of his campaign and also fulfilled agendas in quilombola communities.
Among the recurring issues presented by Reginaldo were employment and income, sanitation, fiscal policy, social inclusion and strengthening the direct presence of the State in the economy.
The candidate defended the creation of industries and companies managed by the state government itself and the regionalization of these enterprises. According to him, the proposal seeks to generate jobs in Maranhão and reduce the departure of young people in search of work in other states.
Reginaldo also proposed state work fronts, youth training and low-interest credit for small farmers and fishermen.
In fiscal policy, he defended the taxation of large fortunes and sectors linked to the export of wealth produced in Maranhão. He also criticized fiscal adjustment measures aimed, according to him, at paying interest.
In sanitation, the candidate defended expanding public investments and keeping Caema fully under state control. The candidate also defended the expansion of shelters for women victims of violence.
Roberto Rocha (PRTB)
Former senator, former federal deputy and former vice-mayor of São Luís, Roberto Rocha placed economic development, infrastructure, logistics, industrialization and professional qualification among the main issues presented during the campaign.
The candidate defended that Maranhão expand production and attract private investments to increase revenue, instead of raising taxes. According to Roberto Rocha, development should combine infrastructure for economic activity with professional training for the population.
Roberto also defended the industrialization of agricultural production, with the aim of adding value to products within Maranhão. In the debate on TV Mirante, when talking about agribusiness and the Balsas region, he defended reconciling agricultural expansion with environmental protection.
In the area of management, he proposed reducing the state administrative structure. Science, technology and professional qualifications also appeared as components of the strategy presented by the candidate for economic development.
In mobility, Rocha defended investments in other means of transport besides buses and criticized the dependence on public road transport in the Metropolitan Region of São Luís.
In health, he defended changes in the administration of the network and stated that hospitals in the interior need to expand their capacity to resolve care without referring patients to São Luís.
Saulo Arcangeli (PSTU)
Federal public servant, teacher and trade unionist, Saulo Arcangeli is running for governor of Maranhão for the third time. During the campaign, he presented proposals related to greater direct participation of the State in public services, workers' rights, popular participation, sanitation, transportation and changes in the economic development model.
One of the proposals presented by the candidate was the creation of popular councils with deliberative power to participate in decisions on the state budget. The members, according to Saulo, would be chosen from their places of residence and work.
In health, he defended competitions for different specialties, expansion of the structure of hospitals and direct management by the State, replacing the administration of units by institutes. Furthermore, Saulo defended that Caema remains state-owned and receives more investments, in addition to criticizing outsourcing in the company.
The candidate also presented zero fares for public transport and defended greater State participation in the operation of the system. In the TV Mirante debate, he proposed a public works plan for roads, sanitation and housing.
