VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico — Mexico's ruling party candidate was running neck and neck Monday with an opposition candidate for the governorship of oil-rich Tabasco state — a tense vote that could set off protests as both candidates claimed the lead.
The ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, had hoped Sunday's gubernatorial vote would be its chance to fight its way back after months of turmoil and several stunning election defeats, including its first loss in a presidential race.
Roberto Madrazo, current governor of this Gulf of Mexico state, had also hoped a PRI victory would boost his chances at becoming the party's national president.
Yet with nearly all votes counted early Monday, the PRI's Manuel Andrade had only a slight lead, with 44 percent to 43 percent for Raul Ojeda of the opposition Democratic Revolution Party. Jose Antonio de la Vega of the National Action Party was third with 8 percent. Eight other candidates trailed far behind.
Because the vote was so close, a final result may not be known until Wednesday, after officials have a chance to review vote counts.
Both candidates say they are ahead, and Andrade said early Monday that his party would defend its victory.
Madrazo kept a low profile during the election. With the backing of several of the nation's governors, he advocates returning to the party's populist roots and has opposed many recent reforms designed to make the party more democratic.
Many of his opponents argued that he won his gubernatorial election in 1997 through fraud, prompting demonstrations after the vote.
The close results of Sunday's election, combined with allegations that the PRI bought votes, could cause similar protests this week.
The PRI has been looking for a significant electoral victory since July 2, when its presidential candidate, Francisco Labastida, lost to Vicente Fox, a former Coca-Cola executive and member of the socially conservative National Action Party. Fox will take office on Dec. 1.
The defeat left the PRI leaderless and struggling amid several groups fighting for power. The division worsened Aug. 20 when the party lost the governor's race in southern Chiapas state, long a PRI stronghold.
Recent electoral reforms and voters who said they were ready for a change after years of corruption under PRI governments helped pave the way for the party's losses. Tabasco appeared to be no different.
Recent rains caused floodwaters to rise across the state, trapping many people on their roofs and increasing frustration with the government in poor neighborhoods that were traditional PRI strongholds.
Standing with his neighbor Sunday near their flooded, corrugated metal shacks, Israel Gomez, 40, said he had always voted for the PRI, but wasn't even going to the polls this election because he had received no help from the government. He pointed to infected scabs on his son's feet, saying no one had come to offer public assistance as they had during flooding in past years.
Before the election, many flooding victims had complained of a lack of public assistance. But not everyone was discouraged.
Jorge Luis Santiago, along with his wife and two young daughters, took a boat from their flooded home so that he and his wife could vote for the PRI. Santiago held out hope that the party could still make his life better.
Although there were some reports of coercion, Sunday's poll was mostly peaceful, with more than 1,100 observers monitoring the vote.
Voters also elected 17 mayors — 11 from the PRI, and six from Democratic Revolution Party — and 31 local legislators. Of the legislators, 11 were from the PRI, seven were Democratic Revolution members, and the rest would be divided among other parties.