▁the ▁inv itation ▁of ▁President ▁Fernando ▁Henri que ▁Card oso , ▁his ▁co - rel ig ion ist ▁of ▁party , ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Regional ▁Development ▁and ▁the ▁B N DE S ▁( National ▁Bank ▁for ▁Econom ic ▁and ▁Social ▁Development ). ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁of ▁management , ▁folder ▁inv ested ▁ 1 . 4 ▁billion ▁dollars ▁in ▁social ▁projects . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁ 4 1 ▁years ▁old , ▁young ▁politician , ▁but ▁accum ulating ▁vast ▁experience ▁in ▁the ▁Federal , ▁State ▁and ▁Municipal ▁Executive ▁and ▁Legisl ative ▁Pow ers , ▁Paulo ▁Hart ung ▁ran ▁for ▁the ▁Senate ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁with ▁the ▁most ▁votes ▁( 7 8 0 , 0 0 0 ▁votes ) ▁that ▁a ▁political ▁already ▁received ▁in ▁Esp í rito ▁Santo . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁affili ated ▁to ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁Social ist ▁Party , ▁Hart ung ▁was ▁elected ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round , ▁state ▁governor ▁with ▁ 8 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁votes ▁cast , ▁representing ▁ 5 4 % ▁of ▁the ▁votes . ▁He ▁took ▁office ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁to ▁receive ▁his ▁prede cess or , ▁Jose ▁Ig na cio ▁Fer re ira , ▁a ▁free ▁credit ▁status ▁among ▁federal ▁and ▁global ▁financial ▁bodies , ▁heavily ▁in ▁deb t , ▁with ▁serious ▁problems ▁in ▁the ▁administrative ▁machine ▁and ▁unable ▁to ▁invest ments ▁necessary ▁in ▁social ▁areas ▁and ▁the ▁physical ▁structure ▁( const ruction