Speaking in San Francisco de Macoris on Sunday, 14 September 2014, former President Leonel Fernandez reiterated that the winds were blowing so strongly in the northeast as well as the rest of the country that they would return him to power in 2016. He was taking part in an event organized by the Acciona and Sociedad Rural de Leonel (Sorudel) political movements, which are campaigning for his return to the Presidency.
Event organizer Andres Acosta asked the former President to go on the record in San Francisco announcing his aspirations to the PLD candidacy. Fernandez stated that the PLD would remain in power due to its high level of public acceptance that has given rise to so many repeated wins and places the party in an advantageous position for the future election.
“With the always enthusiastic support of the inhabitants of Duarte province, I can proclaim here that the winds are blowing so strongly that they will take me to climb the steps to the National Palace again in 2016,” he stated. He stressed the PLD governments have contributed to the social transformation and modernization of the Dominican nation.
He said the PLD has won the respect and admiration of the Dominican people due to the way it has governed. “We won in 1996, we were back in 2006 and 2006, again in 2008 and 2012 and we are ready, because the sixth beating is coming in 2016,” he said.
Fernandez is president of the PLD and one of the stronger contenders to be voted the presidential candidate in 2016.
The latest Gallup-Hoy poll held in September revealed that when asked who should be the candidate for the ruling PLD party in the upcoming May 2016 presidential election, voters were divided between Danilo Medina being the candidate (48.5%), followed by Leonel Fernandez (16.8%), Vice President Margarita Cedeno (5.3%), senator Reinaldo Pared Perez (4.7%), and Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia (4.6%). 14.1% said they did not know. The 2010 Constitution bans Medina from running for President.
A more recent Penn, Schoen & Berland poll contracted by Grupo de Noticias SIN revealed that Fernandez is the politician most likely to be named the PLD presidential candidate in the 2016 presidential election.
Fernandez was President from 1996-2000, 2004-2008, and 2008-2012.
http://www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2014/9/13/337561/Leonel-Fernandez-dice-que-sera-el-candidato-en-comicios-de-2016
http://acento.com.do/2014/politica/8173913-leonel-dice-el-apoyo-recibido-motiva-a-pensar-en-volver-a-gobernar/
http://www.citysantiago.com/2014/09/14/leonel-fernandez-asegura-ganara-presidencia-2016#.VBbQiUvxj7I
http://acento.com.do/2014/politica/8139697-leonel-aplastara-a-oponentes-en-2016-dentro-y-fuera-del-pld-segun-encuesta-de-psb/