The secretary general of the ruling Partido de la Liberación Dominicana, José Tomás Pérez favors the choosing of former Vice President Jacinto Peynado as running mate to PLD presidential candidate Danilo Medina. Peynado was Vice President in the 1994-1996 government of former President Joaquín Balaguer. He was also the PRSC candidate in the 1996 presidential election. In that election, the PRSC party leader, Joaquín Balaguer gave his support to Leonel Fernández of the PLD. Pérez feels that a Danilo-Peynado ticket would be strong enough to win the election in a first round. Peynado has not commented on the suggestion. Peynado is the strongest alternate candidate of the PRSC in the case Joaquín Balaguer decides not to run as the presidential candidate of the PRSC. Pérez said that Peynado would need to have the endorsement of Balaguer. Both the PLD and the PRD covet the endorsement of Balaguer, which political analysts say could make the difference.
