Here are some short reasons why Luís Marques Mendes, Henrique Gouveia e Melo and André Ventura are currently seen as favourites in my opinion:

1) Strong polling performance (three-way race)
All three candidates consistently appear at or near the top in opinion polls, often in a statistical tie for the lead slot going into the first round — with roughly ~19–23 % support each in various surveys.

2) Established name recognition and political support
• Mendes is a veteran center-right politician and ex-leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), giving him broad recognition among moderate and conservative voters.
• Ventura leads Chega, which recently became a major force in Portuguese politics and has a loyal voter base; this helps him secure a robust core share.
• Gouveia e Melo rose to national prominence as the public face of Portugal’s COVID-19 vaccination effort, giving him widespread name awareness beyond traditional party politics.

3) Fragmented field increases their relative share
With many minor candidates in the race, the vote is split — making it easier for well-known figures like these three to stand out and pull ahead of less established rivals.

4) Broad appeal across different voter blocs
• Mendes appeals to traditional center-right voters and moderates.
• Gouveia e Melo attracts voters tired of party politics, thanks to his independent image.
• Ventura galvanizes the protest and right-leaning electorate with strong rhetoric on issues like corruption and identity politics.

5) Election dynamics favor top three for runoff
Polls show no candidate surpassing 50 % in the first round, making a runoff almost inevitable and positioning these three as the most likely to advance to the final ballot based on current intention figures.