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Bad Party Candidate Decisions (isn't hindsight great?!)

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  • 27-02-2011 5:25pm
    #1
    thetonynator
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭


    Some clear examples of bad decisions when selecting candidates in different constituencies:

    Galway West - 4 FG candidates, might take 2, maybe only 1.

    Wicklow - 3 Lab candidates, will be lucky to scrape 1 seat.

    Carlow-Kilkenny - 3 FF candidates, took 1, could have taken 2 with better planning.

    Post other examples here!


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    #2
    steelcityblues
    Registered Users Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭steelcityblues


    FF running two in three seaters has proven to be the biggest blunder!


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    #3
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,986 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    Dublin Central, Fitzpatrick did respectably. Not great but not a disaster.
    Cyprian Brady was a no hoper before the election was ever announced, HQ should have just run one candidate

    Biggest mess is FG and Galway West, why run four candidates?


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    #4
    thetonynator
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭thetonynator


    2 ff candidates in wicklow looking a bit stupid now as well . . .


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    #5
    P_1
    Registered Users Posts: 14,681 ✭✭✭✭P_1


    2 FF in Dublin North was a bit of a blunder. Not even a quota between the two of them.


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    #6
    thetonynator
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭thetonynator


    4 FG in Laois offaly . .:rolleyes:


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    #7
    Raging_Ninja
    Registered Users Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭Raging_Ninja


    thetonynator wrote: »
    Some clear examples of bad decisions when selecting candidates in different constituencies:

    Galway West - 4 FG candidates, might take 2, maybe only 1.

    Wicklow - 3 Lab candidates, will be lucky to scrape 1 seat.

    Carlow-Kilkenny - 3 FF candidates, took 1, could have taken 2 with better planning.

    Post other examples here!

    I'm not so sure about other constituencies, but in Galway West I'd say FG ran 4 candidates in order to get the transfers. Kyne for instance was put in to get the Connemara vote since the other FG candidates are from in and around the city.

    Besides, you're basing this on the results after the fact. Hindsight is 20/20.

    Lastly, some candidates may have too much pride/ego to not step aside and give the party a chance. For instance in Galway West, Connolly didn't get the Labour nomination, so she decided to run on her own terms as an independent. Jackie Healy Rae did the same thing years ago when he didn't get the FF nomination, and he's been making them pay for that ever since.


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    #8
    thetonynator
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭thetonynator


    Raging_Ninja wrote: »
    Besides, you're basing this on the results after the fact. Hindsight is 20/20.



    Hence why it says ''isn't hindsight great'' in the thread title.


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    #9
    jlang
    Registered Users Posts: 1,462 ✭✭✭jlang


    FF across South Dublin really messed up.

    Dublin SW was probably a lost cause for FF regardless of whether they ran one or two but Hanafin should have got in in Dun Laoghaire if Andrews hadn't been on the ticket.

    Corrigan wasn't a strong enough candidate in Dublin South where they should have been able to keep one.

    They probably did the best they could in Dublin SE, SC, and MW but just didn't have the votes.

    Interesting that if it's FG/Lab, Dublin SE now has no opposition TDs. No matter how things turn out for the coalition, that will change next time.


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    #10
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #11
    randomchild
    Registered Users Posts: 886 ✭✭✭randomchild


    Running Hanafin/Andrews in DL was clearly a terrible idea from the start, even without hindsight and probably FF greatest blow in this election, particularly with one less seat available. Losing two ministers (one a challenger for the leadership of the party) in one swoop is a huge loss.


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    #12
    teekayd25
    Closed Accounts Posts: 252 ✭✭teekayd25


    In Cork South West they ran two and returned neither (combined vote just 600 short of a quota).

    However, their problems in this constituency date back to 2007 where they ended up surrendering a seat to FG, despite outpolling them by 42% to 36% on first preferences. :pac:

    First time they've ever been without a seat in the area.

    I think the last few weeks have taught us the FF list of priorities :

    1. Self
    2. Party
    3. Country


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    #13
    delta_bravo
    Registered Users Posts: 4,567 ✭✭✭delta_bravo


    FG running 3 candidates in Dublin South Central
    FF running 2 in Dublin SW
    FF running 2 in Louth


    Someone earlier said 2 FF in Dublin North was a poor choice. Geography plays an important point in that though. I think O'Brien was seen as the Swords vote and Kennedy the more rural part of the constituency. Thats the case in many areas that cover large amounts of land, parties field extra candidates just to feed transfers to their main choice.


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