Former President Joaquín Balaguer chose former Vice President Jacinto Peynado to be his running mate on the Partido Reformista Social Cristiano (PRSC) ticket in the 16 May 2000 presidential election. Peynado said that the leader of the PRSC called him at home shortly after 8 pm last night to announce his decision. Half an hour later, Peynado met with Balaguer at his Máximo Gómez residence to establish the party’s electoral strategy. "This means that President Balaguer wants to win the 16 May elections," Peynado said. "I believe that by choosing me almost immediately we will have a solid grasp on the second place, with at least, nine points above what the polls are showing." Jacinto Peynado studied grade school and high school in Santo Domingo (Colegio La Salle) and in Taft High School of Watertown, Connecticut. He studied business administration at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is primarily known for his work at Delta Comercial, the Toyota dealership in the DR, but has also been involved in agroindustry (Agroindustrial Delta), air transport (Transportes Aéreos), television (Telecentro), and other businesses. He was Vice President of the Republic from 1994-96, when President Balaguer was chosen in an extremely close election. The term was cut short to two years, with elections called in 1996. In 1996 he ran for President on the PRSC ticket with Maribel Gassó as vice presidential candidate. In those elections, he won 420,000 votes (15% of the total votes), despite the lukewarm support of the party leader, who subtly favored Leonel Fernandez of the PLD over his party’s own candidate. Political parties have until tomorrow, 16 March at midnight to register their complete candidacies. The candidates for the three leading parties now are: Partido de la Liberación Dominicana (the ruling party): Danilo Medina and Amilcar Romero. Partido Revolucionario Dominicano: Hipólito Mejía and Milagros Ortiz Bosch. Partido Reformista Social Cristiano: Joaquín Balaguer and Jacinto Peynado.
