Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina headed toward a record vote to win a second term Monday and extend his party's 12-year rule until 2020.
With nearly two-thirds of the votes counted from Sunday's election, the left-of-center incumbent had 62%, while his nearest opponent, businessman Luis Abinader, had 35%. If Medina holds that margin after all the votes are counted, it would be the highest percentage for president in the country's history. Former president Juan Bosch won election in 1962 with 59.53% of the vote.
Final results were expected late Monday, and Medina had a victory rally scheduled for the evening.
“The results reflect a trend without a doubt, but it’s necessary to wait until the process finishes,” Central Election Commission President Roberto Rosario said, according to the Associated Press.
Last June, Medina, with help from Congress, modified the country's constitution so he could serve more than one term.
Medina is the most popular president in Latin America, according to The Economist. His term started in 2012, and by 2014 Medina's approval rating hit 90%, “a level usually associated with dictators rather than democrats,” the magazine said.
Polls ahead of Sunday's elections that also included all 222 members of Congress pointed to Medina as the likely winner, which would mean the Dominican Liberation Party will have won four straight presidential elections. It was not yet clear whether the party will maintain control of Congress as it has for a decade.
The incumbent benefited from a weak and divided opposition and an economy that grew 7% last year, better than any other country in Latin America or the Caribbean. Medina also increased funding for social programs that have strong popular support. His government has built about 2,500 new schools, lengthened the school day to provide more classes and promoted literacy and vocational training for adults, according to the AP.
