Race for the ARAS 2025

[Baile Brigín 2]

This is going to sound odd, but little Miggledy is considered an adorable little old man with his dogs and schoolkids love him. It's all vibes and then you have people making fun art prints and tea cosys, etc.
He uses this soft power to speak out and push the boundary of what the President should say. But even then his cuddly persona and views sit well with the middle class.

Does it though? Yes, the media fawn over him, but there is big chunk of people who think he's a cantankerous old git who overstepped the mark more and more as his presidency went on.

Yet he got 71% more votes second time out. His second election was the highest % vote in any Presidential election, beating De Valera into second. He consistently polls as the most popular Irish politician ever.

I don't think your chunk is all that big.

[Mayo Border]

Sarah Mcinerney used her unique interrogation skills on all 3 candidates on 6 o'clock radio. I thought Catherine came out best. Heather stumbled at the mention of the orange order. Jim had a car crash interview full of stutters about his time as a public servant.

[Blowitupref]

Current odds with Paddy Power

Heather Humphreys 6/4
Jim Gavin 7/4
Catherine Connolly 9/4

[Tubberman]

Sarah Mcinerney used her unique interrogation skills on all 3 candidates on 6 o'clock radio. I thought Catherine came out best. Heather stumbled at the mention of the orange order. Jim had a car crash interview full of stutters about his time as a public servant.

This Orange Order thing is a load of ould shite.
We say we want a United Ireland. Whatever way you look at it, bar genocide or ethnic cleansing, Orangemen will be part of the United Ireland.
Are we now saying these are second class citizens, and any connection to them should mean you're not suitable to be President?

[Rossfan]

Terrible sectarian sh1te right enough.

[trueblue1234]

Is opposing a sectarian organisation "sectarian sh!te"?

[Armagh18]

Sarah Mcinerney used her unique interrogation skills on all 3 candidates on 6 o'clock radio. I thought Catherine came out best. Heather stumbled at the mention of the orange order. Jim had a car crash interview full of stutters about his time as a public servant.

This Orange Order thing is a load of ould shite.
We say we want a United Ireland. Whatever way you look at it, bar genocide or ethnic cleansing, Orangemen will be part of the United Ireland.
Are we now saying these are second class citizens, and any connection to them should mean you're not suitable to be President?

Would being in the KKK rule you out of being president of the US? 2 organisations on similar levels. (The state of that country these days it would probably boost your case)

[trileacman]

Sarah Mcinerney used her unique interrogation skills on all 3 candidates on 6 o'clock radio. I thought Catherine came out best. Heather stumbled at the mention of the orange order. Jim had a car crash interview full of stutters about his time as a public servant.

This Orange Order thing is a load of ould shite.
We say we want a United Ireland. Whatever way you look at it, bar genocide or ethnic cleansing, Orangemen will be part of the United Ireland.
Are we now saying these are second class citizens, and any connection to them should mean you're not suitable to be President?

Would being in the KKK rule you out of being president of the US? 2 organisations on similar levels. (The state of that country these days it would probably boost your case)

False equivalence. Humphries isn't being accused of being in the OO. The OO is not an illegal organisation like the KKK.

Like it or not a politician's spouse being in the OO in their past shouldn't preclude someone from being President. Mightn't help their chances at the ballot box but if that's the worst skeleton they can dig out of Humphries closet I'd say she'll be grand.

[Rossfan]

Her husband isn't standing for election.

[weareros]

I have decided not the drive the auld Massey Ferguson around the farm anymore, have stopped supporting Liverpool, and no more Guinness for me. All founded by Orangemen. And can't even sing a favourite Elvis Costello song as just discovered on X our flag is not Green, White & Gold. Also to cap it off: have to stop boasting Oscar Wilde's auld lad was from Roscommon. Turns out another feckin Orangeman. Bring back Maria Steen, a nice Catholic girl.

[Main Street]

This is going to sound odd, but little Miggledy is considered an adorable little old man with his dogs and schoolkids love him. It's all vibes and then you have people making fun art prints and tea cosys, etc.
He uses this soft power to speak out and push the boundary of what the President should say. But even then his cuddly persona and views sit well with the middle class.

Does it though? Yes, the media fawn over him, but there is big chunk of people who think he's a cantankerous old git who overstepped the mark more and more as his presidency went on.

Yet he got 71% more votes second time out. His second election was the highest % vote in any Presidential election, beating De Valera into second. He consistently polls as the most popular Irish politician ever.

I don't think your chunk is all that big.

I think MD overstepped the mark plenty of times but more power to him, the people who voted for him  were quite aware that he would be his contrary self. Personally I take great issue with his focus on NATO being the problem re Russia invading Ukraine in 2014 and later the full scale invasion. However, the Irish 'left' in general is infected with this ailment of not only condemning US /NATO imperialism but claiming they are the root cause of aggressive Russian imperialist ambition. Imo, absolute stupendous nonsense.
Now we have Cathy Connolly who might well condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but disavows the right of Ukrainians to defend themselves against such aggression. Who knew that Catherine was a make love not war aficionado, that the aggressor should be brought to their knees by the power of the offered flower of peace.

It is to Ireland's shame that that we have leading so called socialist minded people, sheep-like rallying around Kremlin (well flogged) narratives.
No, I don't give a free pass to an Irish version of a socialist who says and freely offers well founded  support for an array of  humanitarian causes but one who miserably fails when it comes to not only recognizing  the aggressive threat of Russia to Europe but one who blithely ignores such a threat.

[Armagh18]

Sarah Mcinerney used her unique interrogation skills on all 3 candidates on 6 o'clock radio. I thought Catherine came out best. Heather stumbled at the mention of the orange order. Jim had a car crash interview full of stutters about his time as a public servant.

This Orange Order thing is a load of ould shite.
We say we want a United Ireland. Whatever way you look at it, bar genocide or ethnic cleansing, Orangemen will be part of the United Ireland.
Are we now saying these are second class citizens, and any connection to them should mean you're not suitable to be President?

Would being in the KKK rule you out of being president of the US? 2 organisations on similar levels. (The state of that country these days it would probably boost your case)

False equivalence. Humphries isn't being accused of being in the OO. The OO is not an illegal organisation like the KKK.

Like it or not a politician's spouse being in the OO in their past shouldn't preclude someone from being President. Mightn't help their chances at the ballot box but if that's the worst skeleton they can dig out of Humphries closet I'd say she'll be grand.

Shouldn't bar them from running but should automatically stop a reasonable person voting for them.

[trueblue1234]

Look at the shape of some of the posts here. No one said they couldn't run, but let's not try and varnish over exactly what the OO is. It's a reprehensible organisation that has been closely linked to enough blood shed in NI over the years.
I wonder had MLMD ran, would she have avoided questions on the IRA in the run in to the election?

[brokencrossbar1]

The issue is her flip flopping over whether he was in it or not or if she attended Orange marches. Own it,  accept it and that ends it. She can be a bit ignorant sometimes and that's not what you're looking for in a president.

[Easttyrone23]

I have decided not the drive the auld Massey Ferguson around the farm anymore, have stopped supporting Liverpool, and no more Guinness for me. All founded by Orangemen. And can't even sing a favourite Elvis Costello song as just discovered on X our flag is not Green, White & Gold. Also to cap it off: have to stop boasting Oscar Wilde's auld lad was from Roscommon. Turns out another feckin Orangeman. Bring back Maria Steen, a nice Catholic girl.

Tell the truth you stopped supporting Liverpool whenever they booed the British national anthem and sang about the death of Maggie thatcher and the queen.