Lyra's campaign attacks betting sites to win over female voters in Pernambuco.
The reelection campaign of the governor of Pernambuco, Raquel Lyra (PSD), is planning an offensive against online betting sites to win over female voters in the race against former Recife mayor João Campos (PSB). The strategy was defined after the team realized that concern about the family budget, due to men's gambling on betting sites, is a daily reality for many women in the state.
According to Globo Online, internal polls indicate Lyra is in a technical tie with Campos among female voters. In the Quaest poll released the week before this article was published, both appeared with 38% of voting intentions among women. Among men, the governor holds a significant lead; 51% against 33% for her opponent. In the general electorate, Lyra leads with 44% compared to 36% for Campos.
The campaign aims to address the issue of betting from both an economic and a public health perspective. The stated objective is twofold: to bring Lyra closer to the female electorate and to damage João Campos' image.
Ammunition against Campos
To support the attack, allies of the governor point to decisions made by the former mayor while in charge of the Recife City Hall. In May 2025, Campos sanctioned an amendment to the municipal Tax Code that reduced the rate of the Service Tax (ISS) for games, lotteries and raffles, including bets, from 5% to 2%. Furthermore, online betting companies were among the sponsors of the capital's Carnival, whose events were widely publicized on the former mayor's social media.
The campaign believes that Campos represents a more difficult opponent to face for the female vote than Marília Arraes (PDT) was in the 2022 election.
Other aspects of the strategy
In addition to the bets, Lyra's team plans to strengthen communication about the "Mães de Pernambuco" (Mothers of Pernambuco) program, aimed at female heads of household in vulnerable situations. Initiatives to combat gender violence, offer credit, and provide professional training are also part of the strategy directed at the female segment.
The campaign also intends to explore the governor's daily life leading a state executive branch in a state that her allies describe as "very sexist." The strategy includes presenting Lyra as the first woman to govern Pernambuco and a single mother of two teenagers.
“We want to introduce a little bit of who Raquel is. She will be able to tell us what it's like to be the first woman to govern Pernambuco. The challenge of leading the government and being a single mother of two teenagers,” declared one of those responsible for the campaign strategy, adding that “she faces challenges very common to women, despite being part of the Pernambuco elite, which contrasts sharply with the stories that João Campos can tell.”
In the digital environment, a survey by the consulting firm AtivaWeb DataLab indicates a 27% growth in the number of Lyra's Instagram followers in the last six months. The use of the nickname "mainha" (little mom) is another central element of the governor's communication strategy.
