Tony Peña Guaba announced on Monday that he is withdrawing his Modern Revolutionary Party presidential bid to back David Collado in 2028.
Speaking during an interview on the Dominican morning radio show El Sol de la Mañana, the political leader explained that the ruling party must concentrate its resources behind the contenders with the strongest prospects of winning the general election.
Peña Guaba said that the smartest choice for party members was to rally around the two principal candidacies in order to ensure electoral success in 2028, rather than dividing support across multiple campaigns.
He formally confirmed his departure from the nomination race during the broadcast, stating that from that moment forward he was relinquishing his presidential candidacy to support fellow party member Collado.
Consolidating party support
Peña Guaba justified his endorsement by pointing out that Collado is already far ahead in his political preparations and enjoys superior approval ratings both within the party base and among the general electorate.
He maintained that Collado currently holds the strongest polling numbers inside and outside the Modern Revolutionary Party, known locally as the PRM, giving him a distinct advantage over rival hopefuls.
Backing Collado, Peña Guaba argued, offers the ruling organization its clearest opportunity to retain executive power once the current presidential term concludes in 2028.
He added that rallying around Collado makes an electoral victory significantly easier for the party to accomplish, urging members to focus their energy where voter support is already established.
Ruling party dominance
The Modern Revolutionary Party is the governing political force in the Dominican Republic, having secured the presidency in 2020 and maintained broad legislative control across the Caribbean nation.
Peña Guaba is an established figure within Dominican political circles and a longtime leader within the party. He is the son of the late José Francisco Peña Gómez, one of the most celebrated political leaders and orators in modern Dominican history.
In public office, Peña Guaba has directed major government initiatives, including serving as the executive coordinator of the social policy cabinet under the current administration in Santo Domingo.
He has long operated as an influential organizer within the party, having helped establish its national structures after the organization formed in 2014.
Race for the 2028 nomination
Collado has emerged as one of the most recognizable figures in the ruling party, having previously served as mayor of the capital city of Santo Domingo and later as the nation's minister of tourism.
During his tenure in public administration, Collado built a prominent public profile that has consistently placed him near the top of early preference surveys for the next presidential cycle.
The Dominican Republic holds general elections every four years to choose the president, vice president, and members of the bicameral National Congress. Although the next election remains years away, major political organizations in the country frequently begin internal campaigning early to align key factions.
Within the PRM, the internal campaign is focusing heavily on measuring candidate strength and tallying endorsements from influential party officials. Peña Guaba's public withdrawal marks an early shift toward consolidation as the party prepares to defend its governing mandate in 2028.
