Latest news with #candidates
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Presidential race: Party ‘open to meeting' Tony Holohan and Michael Flatley on nominations
Independent Ireland is open to talking to former chief medical officer (CMO) Tony Holohan and Irish dancing star Michael Flatley , should they seek nominations from Oireachtas members to enter the presidential election , party leader Michael Collins has said. Meanwhile, former Fianna Fáil minister Mary Hanafin, who has expressed an interest in running herself, said at the weekend it would be 'an insult' to the office of the presidency if her party does not run a candidate . Last week saw the presidential election race heat up. The first declared candidates – former European Commissioner and Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness and Independent TD Catherine Connolly – emerged in the battle to succeed President Michael D Higgins. READ MORE [ Mairead McGuinness leads the field in a list of potential presidential election candidates, poll shows Opens in new window ] A report in the Irish Mail on Sunday suggested that Mr Holohan is preparing to launch a bid to become president. The newspaper quoted him as neither confirming or denying this. Last night, Mr Holohan, who became the public face of the State's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, told The Irish Times: 'I have nothing further to add to this story as yet'. Separately Lord of the Dance star Mr Flatley did not rule himself out of seeking a nomination to run for the presidency. Mr Flatley suggested on RTÉ Radio 1 that he may run 'if I thought that I could be of benefit to the Irish people' . Those wishing to secure a place on the presidential election ballot paper must secure nominations from 20 Oireachtas members or four local authorities. Independent Ireland leader Mr Collins expressed an openness to hearing from Mr Holohan and Mr Flatley should they approach his party seeking nominations. Independent Ireland have four TDs and Mr Collins said 'those four votes could be vital to some candidate'. He said: 'We haven't signed for anybody as of yet.' He said the party had already met three individuals in relation to the presidency – businessman Declan Ganley, Ms Connolly, and another person who wants to remain private for now. Mr Collins said: 'We'd be open to meeting everyone that wants to have a discussion with us' while 'they have to have a realistic chance' and prove they have 16 other votes. Fianna Fáil minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chamber's said he was not aware of any engagements between his party and Mr Holohan when asked about the former CMO on RTÉ radio. He also said Fianna Fáil was 'assessing its options' on the presidential election when asked if he agreed with the view expressed by Ms Hanafin at the Patrick MacGill Summer School that it would be 'an insult' to the office of the presidency if her party did not contest the election. She told those present: 'I firmly believe that the largest party of the country, which is the largest at local level, largest at national level, should be running'. Ms Hanafin has made clear her desire to run for Fianna Fáil but is yet to receive public support from senior party figures. Mr Chambers said Fianna Fáil is listening to its members and will make a decision on the presidential election in early autumn.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Independent Ireland open to talking to Holohan and Flatley should they seek presidential nominations
Independent Ireland is open to talking to former chief medical officer (CMO) Tony Holohan and Irish dancing star Michael Flatley , should they seek nominations from Oireachtas members to enter the presidential election , party leader Michael Collins has said. Meanwhile, former Fianna Fáil minister Mary Hanafin, who has expressed an interest in running herself, said at the weekend it would be 'an insult' to the office of the presidency if her party does not run a candidate . Last week saw the presidential election race heat up. The first declared candidates – former European Commissioner and Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness and Independent TD Catherine Connolly – emerged in the battle to succeed President Michael D Higgins. READ MORE [ Mairead McGuinness leads the field in a list of potential presidential election candidates, poll shows Opens in new window ] A report in the Irish Mail on Sunday suggested that Mr Holohan is preparing to launch a bid to become president. The newspaper quoted him as neither confirming or denying this. Last night, Mr Holohan, who became the public face of the State's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, told The Irish Times: 'I have nothing further to add to this story as yet'. Separately Lord of the Dance star Mr Flatley did not rule himself out of seeking a nomination to run for the presidency. Mr Flatley suggested on RTÉ Radio 1 that he may run 'if I thought that I could be of benefit to the Irish people' . Those wishing to secure a place on the presidential election ballot paper must secure nominations from 20 Oireachtas members or four local authorities. Independent Ireland leader Mr Collins expressed an openness to hearing from Mr Holohan and Mr Flatley should they approach his party seeking nominations. Independent Ireland have four TDs and Mr Collins said 'those four votes could be vital to some candidate'. He said: 'We haven't signed for anybody as of yet.' He said the party had already met three individuals in relation to the presidency – businessman Declan Ganley, Ms Connolly, and another person who wants to remain private for now. Mr Collins said: 'We'd be open to meeting everyone that wants to have a discussion with us' while 'they have to have a realistic chance' and prove they have 16 other votes. Fianna Fáil minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chamber's said he was not aware of any engagements between his party and Mr Holohan when asked about the former CMO on RTÉ radio. He also said Fianna Fáil was 'assessing its options' on the presidential election when asked if he agreed with the view expressed by Ms Hanafin at the Patrick MacGill Summer School that it would be 'an insult' to the office of the presidency if her party did not contest the election. She told those present: 'I firmly believe that the largest party of the country, which is the largest at local level, largest at national level, should be running'. Ms Hanafin has made clear her desire to run for Fianna Fáil but is yet to receive public support from senior party figures. Mr Chambers said Fianna Fáil is listening to its members and will make a decision on the presidential election in early autumn.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Competitive races shape up as filing ends
TRIAD — The conclusion of the municipal candidate filing period has left one area mayor facing opposition, one unopposed and one retiring from elected politics. Candidate filing, which began July 7, concluded at noon Friday. Voters will settle races for mayors, city or town councils and municipal school boards in the Nov. 4 general election. In Thomasville, Mayor Raleigh York will face a general election challenge from Thomasville City Schools Board of Education Chairwoman Wendy Sellars, a former Thomasville councilwoman, and currant Councilman JacQuez Johnson. Eleven candidates are running for four seats on the Thomasville City Council. They are incumbents Doug Hunt, Scott Styers and D. Hunter Thrift and challengers Erika Sanders, Ed Craddock, Adam Leisure, Richard Flippin, Tommy Bryant, Kareem Grant Sr., Joe Lambert and Dana Lomba. Councilman Neal Grimes didn't seek reelection. In the Thomasville City Schools Board of Education race, five candidates filed. They are incumbents Ja'Quez Taylor and Tiffany Baluka-Brannon and challengers Michael Sinkler, Malcolm Richbourg and L. Jeremiah McCauley. Voters will fill two seats. There are no municipal primaries for cities and towns in Davidson County. In Jamestown, Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Rebecca Mann Rayborn will take on challenger Susan Clinard Dickenson in the race to succeed Mayor Lynn Montgomery, who isn't seeking another term after eight years in office. Seven candidates are seeking two seats on Jamestown Town Council in a race with no incumbents. Councilwoman Martha Wolfe didn't seek another term, and the other seat is held by Rayborn who's running for mayor. The council candidates are Jim Gibson, Phyllis Bridges, Cliff Paddock, Richard Clapp, Darren Myers, Jim Westmoreland and Shakinah Simeona-Lee. Jamestown voters will go to the polls Oct. 7 in a primary to narrow the council candidates from seven to four for the general election ballot. There's no primary for the mayor's contest. In Wallburg, Mayor Allen Todd and Councilmen Zane Hedgecock and Steve Yokeley are unopposed on the ballot. Municipal races in Guilford, Davidson and Randolph counties are nonpartisan, meaning the party affiliation of the candidates doesn't appear on the ballot. Winners of the general election will take office in December. Solve the daily Crossword
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Mairead McGuinness leads in presidential election poll but public imagination yet to be caught
Fine Gael 's Mairead McGuinness leads the field in a list of potential presidential election candidates, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A opinion poll, though the results show nobody has yet caught the public imagination. Asked who they would probably vote for in the presidential election, 14 per cent of respondents named Ms McGuinness, who secured her party's nomination this week after emerging as the only potential candidate. The two most popular choices in the poll were 'none of the names so far appeal to me' on 18 per cent, and 'not sure' on 20 per cent. Ms McGuinness is followed by Independent TD Catherine Connolly , who announced her campaign this week, on 9 per cent, and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald on 8 per cent. Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern is on 5 per cent, while Taoiseach Micheál Martin was nominated by 4 per cent of respondents. Fianna Fáil is yet to put forward a candidate. Other potential candidates – including Conor McGregor, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Éamon Ó Cuív, Fintan O'Toole, Frances Black, Gerry Adams, Mary Hanafin, Michelle O'Neill, Mike Ryan and Peter Casey – registered at between 1 and 3 per cent. A number of other potential candidates – including Declan Ganley, Peter Power, Seán Gallagher and Tom Clonan – all registered less than 1 per cent. [ Irish presidency poll reveals just how tuned out of the process people are ] [ Who is Mairead McGuinness, the early front-runner in the presidential race? Opens in new window ] Voters are almost evenly divided on whether they would like the next president to be a current or former politician, or someone from a non-political background. Among those who expressed a view, 43 per cent said they would prefer a politician, with 41 per cent saying they would like a non-politician. Six months after the Government was formed, voters were also asked about how they thought Ministers were performing. The top performer was Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe , with almost half of voters (48 per cent) saying he was doing a 'good job'. Just over a quarter (26 per cent) said he was doing a poor job, with a similar number stating they were 'not sure'. Mr Donohoe's numbers give him a 'net positive' rating of 22 points, putting him far ahead of most of his colleagues. The poll also asked voters their choices for the next leaders of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin. Mr Donohoe was the clear favourite to succeed Simon Harris as Fine Gael leader, with 29 per cent of all voters favouring him, ahead of 12 per cent for Helen McEntee and 8 per cent for Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. Among Fine Gael voters, 50 per cent nominate Mr Donohoe as their choice. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan is the favourite choice of all voters to be the next leader of Fianna Fáil (16 per cent), narrowly ahead of Jack Chambers and Darragh O'Brien. Almost a third (32 per cent) of Fianna Fáil voters prefer Mr O'Callaghan. Pearse Doherty is regarded as the clear front-runner to be the next Sinn Féin leader, with the backing of 28 per cent of all voters, and 42 per cent among Sinn Féin voters. The worst performer in the poll was Minister for Housing James Browne , whom 59 per cent of voters said was doing a poor job and has a net negative rating of 44 points. Neither the Taoiseach nor the Tánaiste were included in the ministerial ratings, as their satisfaction ratings were recorded elsewhere in the poll , reported last Thursday. The poll was conducted among a representative sample of adults aged 18 years and upwards across 120 sampling points throughout all constituencies. The Irish Times/Ipsos B&A series is conducted through face-to-face sampling; personal in-home interviewing took place on July 14th and 15th. The number of interviews conducted was 1,200. The accuracy is estimated at plus or minus 2.8 per cent.
ABC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
How could crossbench candidates shape Tasmania's next government?
For Stateline, Adam Langenberg takes a look at how crossbench candidates could shape Tasmania's next government
