Mexico president appears to hold key majority in elections

Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s party and allies appear poised to maintain their majority in the lower chamber of the congress

MEXICO CITY -- President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s party and allies appear poised to maintain their majority in Mexico's lower chamber of the congress, according to initial results. Only 41% of ballots had been counted late Sunday, but electoral authorities released “quick count” results based on voting samples that allow estimates of the voting trends to determine the rough potential makeup of the Chamber of Deputies. López Obrador's Morena party will have to rely on votes from its allies in the Workers Party and Green Party, but together they were expected to capture between 265 and 292 seats in the 500-seat chamber. Morena alone was expected to win 190 to 203 seats. Even without López Obrador on the ballot, the mid-term elections were seen by many as a referendum on his administration and his ability to continue what he calls the “Fourth Transformation” of Mexico. Turnout was high for mid-term elections, edging above 50% of eligible voters.