Politician Federico Ant?n Batlle has set aside his aspirations to become the Partido Reformista Social Cristiano (PRSC) candidate in the primaries scheduled for 30 March, ceding the path for Jacinto Peynado, who was the party?s presidential candidate in 1996 and is a former Vice President. Another PRSC former Vice President, Carlos Morales had also renounced his candidacy in favor of Jacinto Peynado.
As part of the agreement made with Ant?n Batlle, Peynado announced popular Santiago mayor, Jose Enrique Sued, as his running mate on the PRSC ticket and promised to endorse Ant?n Batlle?s campaign for election in 2008.
Peynado will therefore go head to head against Eduardo Estrella, who has made a meteoric ascent and leads Peynado in some popularity polls. Estrella has been endorsed by erstwhile presidential candidacy hopefuls such as Senator Jose Hazim of San Pedro de Macoris, Senator Tito Hernandez of San Cristobal, and Alexis Joaquin Castillo, the illegitimate son of former party leader, Joaquin Balaguer. Analysts say that Estrella also has the support of the PPH faction that supports President Hip?lito Mej?a?s re-election.