Gerry Hutch TD?

It reminds me of the video a year or 2 ago of the Garda car getting rammed by joyriders in Dublin, where the locals are all crowded around cheering them on. The opposition reflexively came out with the stock "Oh this doesn't represent the local community, who are all poor salt of the earth working class craturs who've been let down by the Government", as if the crowd cheering them on were bussed in from Foxrock in order to give Cherry Orchard a bad name.

I'll expect similar here. We'll be told that this is a damning indictment on the government that people feel "forced" to vote for Hutch.

With a bit of luck Mackers will be gone from Justice in what I hope will be a big reshuffle.

Anyway if elected, he'll probably have to attend the Dail via Zoom from a cell in Malaga jail.

We are screwed. I had little faith in the Irish Electorate beforehand. I have zero faith now.

Because as someone once said "5 minutes with the common man is the best argument against democracy " or something like that....

absolute nonsense. Constant blaming everyone else for certain areas’ issues. Never taking responsibility.

You’d swear these areas never had investment, never had brilliant people doing brilliant things to help. They absolutely have.

It says a lot about the people that they’d choose a man who has been actively involved in crime (crime that did nothing but decimate said areas) for decades to come “help” them rather than several other good law abiding people running for office.

It's the mafiosa type mentality I think. Many in the areas will see the government as at fault for the situation they are in, and initially, they would've been right and terrible planning led to these situations but most of the problems in these areas are gone beyond the government's control now. So much like the American mob or Escobar, people see these gangs as protectors and people who invest in the community and many are seen the only protection the communities have. They almost become political separatists.

And even though the initial cause was governmental and while it may not be now, it's very hard to remove that notion as its ingrained in the community over decades. The fact of the matter is that the government now heavily invests in these areas but the stigma of these people's addresses has already spread and old cultures are hard to shed. So they look at people like the monk as relateable and successful and investing in the communities. It's akin to an abusive relationship imo, the gangs hold them down and gaslight them but appear to love and protect them

That's my 2c anyway

Not certain yet. I would expect that he would get a fair few first preferences, but can’t see many second preferences down the line. Although you’d never know. It’ll be close.

It does suggest btw that immigration was never the main issue in the constituency and the Dublin riots weren't really about immigration. Hutch's vote seems to be mostly an 'anti-establishment' one.

Agree with this. I think most people inclined to vote for him would do so as a No 1. I don’t think he will be particularly transfer friendly. Remains to be seen, but I think he is a fair bit off yet.

As for the motive, it’s clearly an anti establishment vote. I get the impression that he has a reasonably good reputation around the area ( with some anyway) despite his “activities”.

Don't prisoners in MountJoy get a vote?

I hope you optimism is correct.

He has a reasonably good reputation around the area?

Is that a serious comment? He's a drug lord ffs. The area I'm sure is rife with drugs and drug addicts. All in their position because guys like Hutch supplied them.

Yet the same community decide to vote for him to give 2 fingers to the Government. What a warped mentality.

If Hutch does squeeze in I wonder how he'll get on with Lowry? They might sit together.

No but he would get a small advantage.

When on his way to a meeting of Dail Eireann he couldn't be arrested.