[1] Winning against ACM Neto in an upset, Jerônimo, a professor at State University of Feira de Santana,[2] became the first self declared indigenous governor in the history of Brazil.

[4] Born in Palmeirinha, a village in the municipality of Aiquara, to Zeferino Rodrigues, a farmer, and Maria Cerqueira, a seamstress, Jerônimo attended public school in Jequié and received a masters degree in rural development from the Federal University of Bahia in 1991.

After finishing graduate school, he returned to Aiquara where he was professor at the Colégio Municipal Américo Souto and an advisor to the mayor in agricultural planning.

[5] As one of the main state secretaries of the new PT administration, Jerônimo had carte blanche to carry out an investment of R$3.5 billion in public schools.

[5] During the Covid-19 pandemic, amidst the children's learning difficulties, the secretary created two programs to combat school dropout: the Bolsa-Presença, which offered monthly aid of 150 reals to families of students from the state education network ,and Mais Futuro, whose objective was to keep young people in the university with financial support.