Ex-Enemies, Evangelicals and a Soccer Star: Top Mexican Candidate’s New Allies

Leading presidential hopeful López Obrador seeks to broaden his appeal and soften his reputation as a hot-headed populist _________________________________________________________

MEXICO CITY—Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a nationalist who built his career blocking oil wells and railing against the political elite, is trying a third time to achieve what he failed to do twice before: win the Mexican presidency.

The 64-year-old leftist candidate is leading in the polls ahead of the July 1 election after trying to reinvent himself with a new party, unlikely allies and as a champion of national unity who doesn’t threaten Mexico’s traditional economic powers.

Although once a member of the ruling party and a Mexico City mayor, Mr. López Obrador is benefitting from an outsider image at a time when Mexicans are weary of the violence, corruption and a slowing economy that has hurt the ruling party’s popularity.

Mr. López Obrador has supported the North American Free Trade Agreement but has warned that the current renegotiations between the U.S., Canada and Mexico should be suspended until after Mexico’s election. As president, he said he would renegotiate any deal that harms Mexico’s interests.

He also has vexed U.S. and other investors by promising to freeze the recent opening of Mexico’s oil industry to private investment while he reviews the 91 exploration and production contracts the government has awarded over the past three years for any signs of graft.

Although Mr. López Obrador says he would keep balanced budget deficits and respect the central bank’s autonomy, his victory would signal a new economic and social model for Mexico. He proposes fostering growth with more government spending, import-substitution policies and higher salaries—shifting from the export-based model that has prevailed here during the last 35 years.

Thanks Red Badger.

Although Mr. López Obrador says he would keep balanced budget deficits and respect the central bank’s autonomy, his victory would signal a new economic and social model for Mexico. He proposes fostering growth with more government spending, import-substitution policies and higher salaries—shifting from the export-based model that has prevailed here during the last 35 years.

He's keeping balanced budget deficits? Whew, I was worried those were going to go!

That's quite a puff piece, even for a Latino shill in the WSJ -- he's leftist, populist, and nationalist, who supports balanced budget deficits, and wants to require higher wages and fewer exports, while subsidizing imports... sure, sign us up!

And be prepared for scenes like those going on currently in Venezuela, and we'll need that wall ASAP, probably twice as tall.

Mexico’s president is elected by plurality in a single round of voting with 6 major candidates in the race:

Current president Nieto, PRI, Chicago style corruption is term limited. PRI candidate is José Antonio Meade Kuribreña, just as corrupt. He will be in the top 3, likely #3.

Obrador is like the Bernie Sanders of Mexico with Trumpian speaking style and much more populist than Bernie, but more far left crazy. He is described as the Hugo Chavez who will turn Mexico into the next Venezuela. If he wins, expect massive immigration to the US. PAN and PRI are scared stiff of what he will do in Mexico. He should be defeated at all costs. We shouldn’t wish him on our worst enemy, let alone our closest neighbor.

Cortés, PAN Party. PAN had the 2 previous presidents. 2006-12 social conservative Pat Buchanan style Calderon. 2000-06 libertarian leaning Club For Growth type Fox. Cortes seems to be less an ideologue than Fox and Calderon. He could be compared to an establishment Republican, a Ryan or McConnell. He and Obrador seem to be competing for the #1 spot. He will try to convince the independents and PRI to back him by scaring everyone about Obrador.

Cortes will be hurt by Calderon’s social conservative wife Zavala who is running as the Pat Buchanan independent. She has no chance of winning. But she cold take enough votes from Cortes to make Cortes come in 2d.

Cortes will be helped by former associates of Obrador in the PRD party who are equally scared of Obrador emulating Venezuela.

Other Independents Piter and Calderon will peel off only a few votes (I think), mostly geographically in their area. Most voters inclined toward ex-President Calderon know that his wife Zavala is the real Calderon social conservative candidate and are not likely to be fooled by the troll co-incidentally named Calderon.

That only a plurality with 6 candidates running is very significant, of course. The President has little power with the Mexican Congress controlling everything.

3,400 other offices are also up. Will it be a wave election? Or will it be a zoo in Congress with nobody having a mandate for anything?

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