Senator Paloma Valencia is on track for a landslide in the primary held by Colombia’s conservative movements, positioning among the favorites to become the nation’s next president.

With 77% of ballots tallied, Valencia had 46% of the vote, trouncing eight other candidates and boosting her chance of successfully challenging the hardline frontrunners ahead of the May 31 election. Juan Daniel Oviedo, the former head of the national statistics agency, was in second place with 18%.

A close ally of former President Alvaro Uribe, Valencia, 48, is calling for a beefed-up army and police force to launch a military offensive against cocaine-trafficking gangs, and also wants to eliminate the nation’s wealth tax. She also advocates a lower tax burden for businesses.

Her wide margin of victory and strong turnout is likely to give Valencia’s campaign a burst of momentum, as she picks up support from her defeated rivals. Recent polls show Senator Iván Cepeda, an ally of leftist President Gustavo Petro, leading the race. He’s closely trailed by Abelardo de la Espriella, a conservative lawyer who praises Donald Trump, and who wants to build mega prisons and “neutralize” gang members who refuse to surrender.

After her primary win, Valencia will now be de la Espriella’s main rival in competing for the support of conservative voters.

“Valencia secured an overwhelming victory in the primaries, positioning her as the strongest rival to Iván Cepeda and potentially weakening Abelardo de la Espriella’s candidacy,” said Sergio Guzmán, director at Colombia Risk Analysis said. “Paloma has become the leading contender for the presidency.”

Valencia will also get a boost from high turnout. Voters could choose which of the primaries to participate in and her conservative contest secured 83% of votes, compared to 9% for the centrist primary, and 8% for the leftist contest.

Roy Barreras was on track to score a narrow victory in the primary among leftist candidates. However, the low turnout makes it likely that leftist voters will now unite behind Cepeda, Guzmán added.

Former Bogota mayor Claudia López won the centrist primary.

If no one secures a majority in May, there will be a runoff on June 21.

The next president will inherit a soaring fiscal deficit, and a security crisis tied to record cocaine production.

Congressional vote

Colombians also voted for 103 senators and 186 lower house deputies. Counting is ongoing.

With the vote count at 15%, Petro’s Historic Pact was on track to become the largest party in the senate, followed by Valencia’s Democratic Center.

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