Clare - are FG mad?

AidoCQS

Its a four seater, in the heart of De Valera FF country and FG run 4 candidates,FF are just running three.

They selected two candidates at convention, sitting TD Pat Breen and Councillor Tony Mulcahy from Shannon. Then two more candidates were added, former TD Madeleine Taylor Quinn and Councillor Joe Carey, son of ex TD Donal. Anybody know the story there, are they just mad?

Agent J

AidoCQS wrote:

Its a four seater, in the heart of De Valera FF country and FG run 4 candidates,FF are just running three.

They selected two candidates at convention, sitting TD Pat Breen and Councillor Tony Mulcahy from Shannon. Then two more candidates were added, former TD Madeleine Taylor Quinn and Councillor Joe Carey, son of ex TD Donal. Anybody know the story there, are they just mad?

I saw that myself and i wondered at the logic of it.... doesnt make a lot of sense to me.

nesf

AidoCQS wrote:

Its a four seater, in the heart of De Valera FF country and FG run 4 candidates,FF are just running three.

They selected two candidates at convention, sitting TD Pat Breen and Councillor Tony Mulcahy from Shannon. Then two more candidates were added, former TD Madeleine Taylor Quinn and Councillor Joe Carey, son of ex TD Donal. Anybody know the story there, are they just mad?

That could split the first preferences badly if they haven't managed it well.

AidoCQS

How do they expect us to chose a candidate if they cannot seem to make up their mind?

Who ever is in change of elections down there should expect to be added to Brian Meaney's (Green) Christmass card list

E92

I've wondered why they decided to run 4 candidates too, but perhaps someone more familiar with the political Geography might be able to tell us why this is so. For instance Fine Gael are running 4 candidates in Mayo, 3 should get in, but the reason for 4 is because each candidate running for FG in Mayo is from the 4 largest towns in Mayo,and because the people in say Castlebar will be much more likely to vote for 'one of their own' and consequently FG. When the candidates get eliminated, then the hope will be that the eliminated candidate will have transfers to the remaining candidates standing for the party, and therefore maximising the party vote.

nesf

E92 wrote:

I've wondered why they decided to run 4 candidates too, but perhaps someone more familiar with the political Geography might be able to tell us why this is so. For instance Fine Gael are running 4 candidates in Mayo, 3 should get in, but the reason for 4 is because each candidate running for FG in Mayo is from the 4 largest towns in Mayo,and because the people in say Castlebar will be much more likely to vote for 'one of their own' and consequently FG. When the candidates get eliminated, then the hope will be that the eliminated candidate will have transfers to the remaining candidates standing for the party, and therefore maximising the party vote.

That works well if the vote is tightly managed. It backfired badly in Cork North West last time around and cost Creed his seat when he allowed Murphy to eat too far into his territory.

f1dan

I'm from Clare and i fail to see the logic of it either. Having said that, Pat Breen And Joe Carey look like they'll get elected, along with Tony Killeen and Timmy Dooley from Fianna Fail, which would be quite an achievemnt for Fine Gael in a traditionally Fianna Fail dominated constituency

Victor

I think FF once ran 4 candidates in a 3 seater. I can't remember the details.

E92 wrote:

I've wondered why they decided to run 4 candidates too, but perhaps someone more familiar with the political Geography might be able to tell us why this is so. For instance Fine Gael are running 4 candidates in Mayo, 3 should get in, but the reason for 4 is because each candidate running for FG in Mayo is from the 4 largest towns in Mayo,and because the people in say Castlebar will be much more likely to vote for 'one of their own' and consequently FG. When the candidates get eliminated, then the hope will be that the eliminated candidate will have transfers to the remaining candidates standing for the party, and therefore maximising the party vote.

FG have historicly had 3 seats in Mayo and I presume they are looking for the other one back + one sweeper. And Mayo has 5 seats, not the 4 in Clare.

bemmet

Maybe its a cunning plan and they are going for all four seats on the strength of Endas contract.

Gobán Saor

Apparently MTQ was promosed a run in the general election if she stood for the European Parliament seat. Dunno about carey....

upmeath

They're running a similar high-risk/high-gain strategy in Meath West. 3 seats, outgoing are 2 FF (Noel Dempsey & Johnny Brady) and 1 FG (Damien English).
This time out FG are running English (Kells) alongside Graham Geraghty (Athboy) and Peter Higgins (Trim with roots in Westmeath). I haven't seen anything to do with English's campaign south of Athboy so it would appear they're managing their votes very well and may edge out Johnny Brady to let Meath West return Dempsey, English and either Geraghty or Higgins. Geraghty will only get elected if a serious number of under-30s turn out!

Gael

AidoCQS wrote:

How do they expect us to chose a candidate if they cannot seem to make up their mind?

Who ever is in change of elections down there should expect to be added to Brian Meaney's (Green) Christmass card list

How much will it help Meaney? Or at least, how will it help him rather than other candidates?

AidoCQS

My take on it is that if you are voting for change, nobody has heard of Prior (SF), and labour have a similarily weak candidate, FG dont seem to have a clear stratagy.. that leaves Green - Brian Meaney

Brian has been all over the papers in the past few months, he decided against a constituancy office and instead got a farmers cow or horse truck and converted it. It then thanspired that that was less efficient then a car or office, so he had it converted to biofuel. Anyway Clare voters are very unpredictable, (Remamber Breen the last time, left off FF tickey and topped the poll running as an independant), and this commedy of errors may appeal to them. Greens are not that big a jump when you see what happened to the water in Galway and is happening in Ennis.

My prediction, the two FF's, Breen (FG) & maybe Meaney for the last seat