The Candidate Withdraws from Ireland's Presidential Race

With an unexpected announcement, a key primary hopefuls in the Irish presidential election has left the contest, dramatically altering the election dynamics.

Withdrawal Announcement Reconfigures Election Dynamics

The party's presidential hopeful stepped down on Sunday night following disclosures about an outstanding payment to a previous occupant, converting the race into an uncertain head-to-head battle between a centre-right ex-minister and an independent leftwing parliamentarian.

Gavin, 54, a inexperienced candidate who was parachuted into the election after professional experiences in athletics, flying and armed forces, quit after it emerged he had not repaid a overpaid rent of €3,300 when he was a landlord about 16 years ago, during a period of financial difficulty.

"I committed an error that was not in keeping with who I am and the principles I uphold. Corrective actions are underway," he said. "After careful consideration, regarding the possible effects of the continuing election battle on the health of my relatives and acquaintances.

"Weighing all these factors, My decision is to step down from the race for the presidency with immediate action and rejoin my loved ones."

Contest Reduced to Two Main Contenders

The biggest shock in a political contest in modern times reduced the field to one candidate, a ex-minister who is campaigning for the governing moderate right party Fine Gael, and Catherine Connolly, an vocal supporter of Palestinian rights who is endorsed by a political party and small leftwing opposition parties.

Crisis for Leadership

This departure also caused a problem for the prime minister and party head, Micheál Martin, who had risked his standing by selecting an untried candidate over the skepticism of fellow members.

Martin said the candidate wished to avoid "cause dispute" to the office of president and was justified in leaving. "Jim has accepted that he was at fault in relation to an matter that has come up lately."

Election Challenges

Although known for competence and success in business and sport – under his leadership the Dublin football squad to five straight titles – his election effort faltered through blunders that caused him to fall behind in an opinion poll even before the unpaid debt disclosure.

Individuals within Fianna Fáil who had been against choosing the candidate said the fiasco was a "serious miscalculation" that would have "ramifications" – a barely concealed caution to the leader.

Election Rules

The candidate's name may stay on the voting paper in the poll taking place in late October, which will end the 14-year tenure of President Higgins, but people must choose between a binary choice between a mainstream moderate hopeful and an autonomous progressive. A poll taken before the withdrawal gave 32 percent backing for Connolly and Humphreys 23%, with Gavin on 15%.

Under electoral rules, the electorate chooses contenders based on preference. Should no contender surpass a majority in round one, the candidate with the least primary selections is removed and their votes are transferred to the next preference.

Likely Support Redistribution

It was expected that in the event of his exclusion, most of his votes would go to Humphreys, and vice versa, increasing the likelihood that a mainstream contender would win the presidential office for the Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael coalition.

Presidential Duties

The role of president is a largely symbolic post but incumbents and past holders transformed it into a platform on global issues.

Surviving Hopefuls

The 68-year-old Connolly, from her home city, would bring a strong leftwing voice to that legacy. She has assailed neoliberal economics and remarked Hamas is "an integral component" of the Palestinian people. She has accused Nato of militarism and likened Berlin's enhanced defense expenditure to the thirties, when Adolf Hitler rearmed the country.

The 62-year-old Humphreys, has been subjected to review over her record as a minister in governments that presided over a property shortage. As a Protestant from the northern county, she has also been criticised over her failure to speak Gaelic but said her religious background could aid in securing loyalists in the North in a reunified nation.