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Monday, July 25, 2011

Antonio Bonfatti Wins the Santa Fe Governor Elections

Antonio Bonfatti, the Socialist candidate won the Santa Fe province gubernatorial elections, with 37.7 percent votes. He will replace Governor Hermes Binner. PRO party candidate Miguel Del Sel followed in a close second place, with 36 percent of votes, while Kirchnerite candidate Agustín Rossi stood in third place with 22.33 percent of votes.

Kirchnerite María Eugenia Bielsa was the most voted deputy. Likewise, the Progressive Front won key mayoral posts: Mónica Fein in Rosario and José Manuel Corral in Santa Fe City.

Despite the lack of official and complete results, the Progressive Front claimed victory and Miguel Del Sel appeared as the election’s surprise, winning over Agustín Rossi and coming in second place.

A ecstatic Miguel Del Sel said that “regardless of the election’s results, we feel like we are the true winners.” He was joined by PRO leader and mayor Mauricio Macri and several of the center-right party’s authorities. Indeed, polls had estimated that the comedian, who is making his debut in politics would be more than 10 points behind Bonfatti. The actual difference was of less than three percent.

Minutes after 9.30 pm, the Hermes Binner led force was the first party to make a statement after polls closed and said that Bonfatti had came in first place with 37.6 percent of votes, ahead of Del Sel and Rossi, on grounds of 230 “witness” polling stations.

More than 2.5 million people were available to vote on Sunday's elections. Seventy percent of registered voters casted their votes.