A nervous 100% Redress candidate Charles Ward said it’s simply a ‘waiting game’ when asked how he rated his chances of getting elected to the Dáil at the first attempt.
With all the tallies counted, the Drumkeen resident is currently sitting in fifth place with 6,857 first preference votes and a chance of clinching the final seat. However, the transfer friendly Thomas Pringle is hot on his heels with 5,344.
Despite his disappointing tally in North Inishowen, Ward performed admirably in his home patch of Stranorlar where he picked up 1,347 first preferences, or 10.6% of the vote.
Speaking to Donegal Daily a short time ago, he said it was too early to get excited.
“Look, I’m not going to take anything for granted – it’s not over until it’s over. I’d never be confident enough to say it (the seat) is guaranteed, as nothing is guaranteed,” he said.
Ward said he was disappointed with his vote in Inishowen, an area that has been devastated by the defective blocks crisis. There, the Sinn Fein duo of Padraig MacLochlainn and Pearse Doherty hoovered up 42% of the first preference vote.
“I’m disappointed that we didn’t get more votes in North Inishowen, but I can understand why people went the way they went,” he said.
“But, what I’m saying is we need a voice and it’s critical that that voice is an affected homeowner from Donegal up on the floor of the Dáil.”
Asked if he was transfer friendly enough to pick up the required votes to get him elected, he said “I would hope so.”
“This (defective blocks crisis) is the biggest human rights issue in Donegal and you would hope people would have empathy and transfer and hopefully they do, but it’s just a waiting game.”
When all the Stranorlar boxes were finally tallied, Pearse Doherty again topped the poll with 4,920 (38.9%), followed by Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher on 1,845 (14.6%) and Ward on 1,347 (10.6%).
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