Deputy elect Winston Arnaud (PRD-National District) and senator Ramón Alburquerque (PRD-Monte Plata) were chosen by the Partido Revolucionario Dominicano to be the candidates for the presidency of the Chamber of Commerce and the Senate come 16 August 1998. The PRD is the majority party in both houses, so it is expected that they will be elected, unless the party decides to replace these candidates for other PRD men. Arnaud received 51 votes against 29 of his closest contender, Rafael Peguero Méndez (PRD-Independencia), who sought re-election to the post. Alburquerque was chosen unanimously, after senators Milagros Ortiz Bosch (PRD-National District) and Vicente Sánchez Baret (PRD-Sánchez Ramírez) retired their candidacies. The candidates to vice president of the chambers are Rafael Gamundi Cordero for the Chamber of Deputies and Jesus Vásquez for the Senate. The PRD also decided that senator Vicente Sanchez Baret would be spokesman for the party in the Senate and Rafael (Fafa) Taveras would be spokesmen for the PRD deputies in the Chamber of Deputies.
