The right swept São Paulo, Brazil's most populous and wealthiest state as well as its biggest electoral college, in Sunday's vote, El País reported.
Governor Tarcísio de Freitas, a former minister in Jair Bolsonaro's government, secured reelection outright in the first round with 62.6% of valid votes. His rival, the PT's Fernando Haddad, finished on 36.4%.
The result is the fourth consecutive defeat for Haddad, the man Lula has on several occasions signalled as his successor.
It leaves Brazil's left confronting the question that returns at every election: who will come after Lula.
