Flavio Bolsonaro's famous last name helped power his surge in Brazil's presidential race, putting him neck and neck with incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva even before official campaigning has begun.
But as the 44-year-old senator's poll numbers plateau, he is confronting the downside of being the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, and the risk that his name could ultimately cost him the October election.
His dilemma is that he needs to mobilize conservatives still deeply loyal to his father while also appealing to undecided voters who view his family as toxic.
Flavio Bolsonaro was handpicked by his father late last year, after the former president was sentenced to 27 years in prison for trying to overturn his 2022 defeat. Since then, he has sought to cast himself as a more moderate member of the family.
"I'm not going to try to be like him," he told reporters this month. "I don't need to keep explaining my last name, with all its pros and cons."
He has broken with his father on several social issues, getting vaccinated against Covid-19, sharing anti-racism messages and endorsing pro-LGBTQ content online. This all runs counter to Jair Bolsonaro, who refused the vaccine, said he'd rather have a son who was dead than gay, and was fined over accusations of racist remarks about a Black Brazilian.
Allies have even taken to referring to him solely as "Flavio," omitting his last name in the way Brazilians do with star footballers.
In a written response to a request for comment, Bolsonaro's campaign said the candidate is "someone more centered, balanced, and willing to engage, listen and build consensus."
At the same time, the spokesperson said he is his own man, and not the creation of campaign strategists.
Chaotic Presidency
The 2026 race is set to become the third consecutive presidential vote pitting Lula or one of his allies against a member of the Bolsonaro family. Both campaigns must attract centrist voters to win a majority in a deeply polarized nation.
Jair Bolsonaro's chaotic presidency, which included one of the world's highest Covid-related death tolls and culminated in an insurrection attempt that led to his conviction, repelled many Brazilians. Polls suggest limits to Flavio's ability to rebrand.
About 46% of voters say they'll never vote for him, roughly equal to the share who say the same about Lula, a Datafolha poll found this month. Nearly half say they don't see him as more moderate than other family members, including his father, according to a Quaest survey published in March.
New Supporters
Attracting new supporters is likely to become increasingly difficult, testing a relatively inexperienced politician whose only major campaign win -- his 2018 election to the senate -- came with his father atop the ballot.
So far, Bolsonaro has risen in polls while avoiding major policy statements. He has delayed the roll out of his platform and offered few hints about who he would tap for key roles such as finance minister.
At the Donald Trump-friendly Conservative Political Action Conference in March, Bolsonaro delivered the kind of speech reminiscent of his father's rhetoric, denouncing "Covid tyranny," a "radical environmental agenda" and a "woke agenda that destroys families."
Aides working to polish his moderate image were alarmed. His campaign said he tailored his remarks to the audience, using the "political language typical of that environment."
Bolsonaro has made clear that freeing his father from prison or house arrest is his primary goal, even though polls show that most Brazilians oppose an amnesty for the former president.
At the same time, he has struggled to manage divisions within his own political camp -- and his family.
He has publicly called for unity among allies, including his brother Eduardo Bolsonaro and congressman Nikolas Ferreira, amid social media accusations that parts of the right weren't sufficiently supportive of his candidacy.
Lula has begun to go on the offensive, targeting the family's warm relationship with Trump, which he says threatens Brazil's sovereignty.
Lula received a popularity boost last year when Trump slapped 50% tariffs on Brazil in an attempt to thwart Bolsonaro's trial.
According to Quaest, 48% of voters hold an unfavorable view of the US, and perceived support from Trump hurts rather than helps Bolsonaro.
Lula has also attacked Bolsonaro for trying to present himself as a moderate.
"We have a former president imprisoned, sentenced to 27 years in jail. We have four four-star generals imprisoned because they attempted a coup," Lula said Saturday, referencing the 2023 insurrection attempt that led to Jair Bolsonaro's conviction.
"But extremism hasn't ended," he continued. "It's still alive, and it will run for election again."