In 1989 he ran for the presidency for his faction, Herrerismo, with running-mate, Gonzalo Aguirre. In the subsequent elections in November 1989, the National Party defeated the rival Colorado Party (running with several presidential candidates: Jorge Batlle Jorge Pacheco Areco and Hugo Fernandez Faingold and Broad Front (running with presidential candidate Líber Seregni. Lacalle received the most votes within his party, defeating Carlos Julio Pereyra and Alberto Zumarán, and thus was elected President of Uruguay, taking office on March 1, 1990 for a five year-term.