Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected as Mexico's first female president in a historic landslide, winning 58% to 60% of the vote according to preliminary results from Mexico's official electoral authority. This gives her a lead of about 30 percentage points over her main rival, businesswoman Xóchitl Gálvez.
Sheinbaum will succeed her mentor, outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, on October 1.
A former mayor of Mexico City, Sheinbaum has pledged to continue López Obrador's welfare programs, which have been widely popular.
In her victory speech, she emphasized the significance of her win for all women in Mexico, stating, "For the first time in the 200 years of the [Mexican] Republic, I will become the first woman president of Mexico."
Sheinbaum added, "I’ve said it from the start, this is not just about me getting [to the top office], it's about all of us getting here," and assured, "I won’t fail you." She also thanked Gálvez for conceding defeat.
Sheinbaum, whose maternal grandparents fled Nazi persecution in Bulgaria and whose paternal grandparents came from Lithuania, had a distinguished career as a scientist before entering politics.
Both her parents were scientists, and she earned a doctorate in energy engineering, studying energy consumption patterns and climate change in California.
She later served as the environment secretary for Mexico City during López Obrador's mayoralty, before becoming the city's first female mayor in 2018, a role she held until 2023 when she decided to run for president.
The election, marked as a significant milestone for women in Mexico, also featured a high level of violence, particularly targeting local candidates.
Official reports state over 20 candidates were killed, though other sources estimate the number at 37. Gálvez criticized the government and Sheinbaum for failing to address the violence, promising to tackle crime more aggressively if elected, but provided few details on combating the powerful criminal cartels.
After it became clear Sheinbaum had won, Gálvez called her to wish her success in addressing Mexico's severe issues. Tackling the violence and cartels will be among Sheinbaum’s top challenges. She has pledged to address the root causes of violence through increased welfare programs to prevent young Mexicans from joining criminal groups.
Regarding relations with the United States, Sheinbaum has promised a relationship of friendship, mutual respect, and equality, while also defending the rights of Mexicans living in the U.S. López Obrador, who has had a contentious relationship with the U.S., supported Sheinbaum's campaign, bolstering her bid with his high approval ratings.
Many voters favored Sheinbaum for her commitment to continuing Morena's poverty alleviation programs.