 He chose this over a public vote because he thought the latter would escalate tensions and feared that he might lose it; a spring 1990 poll nevertheless still showed him as the most popular politician in the country.In March, the Congress of People's Deputies held the first (and only) Soviet presidential election, in which Gorbachev was the only candidate.He secured 1,329 in favor to 495 against; 313 votes were invalid or absent.