Colombian outsider surges to runoff with a real shot at presidency

Rodolfo Hernandez got 28% of votes, compared to 40% for Gustavo Petro, the electoral authority said after an election in which no candidate reached the 50% threshold to avoid a second round

A construction magnate who was little known at the start of the year has surged into Colombia’s runoff election with a real chance at winning the presidency as voters coalesce against his leftist rival.
 

Rodolfo Hernandez got 28% of votes, compared to 40% for former guerrilla Gustavo Petro, the electoral authority said Sunday night after an election in which no candidate reached the 50% threshold to avoid a second round.

Federico Gutierrez, who polls showed was Petro’s main rival, only got 24%. He and many of his key supporters have already endorsed Hernandez. Hernandez, Gutierrez and center candidate Sergio Fajardo