FG accused of rigging Donegal selection convention

[ffnorth]

A former head of election strategy for Fine Gael in Donegal has accused the party of rigging a selection convention in the county.

Senator Joe McHugh was selected as the party's sole candidate for Donegal North East earlier this year, prompting Letterkenny councillor Jimmy Harte to leave the party.

"The convention was totally rigged," he said last night. "The general secretary of the party was right behind it, from what he told me when I went to Dublin to meet him about it.

Source: Breakingnews.ie

[Rabscallion]

Shock horror FG isn't speaky clean......

[President Bartlet]

So its obvious that Enda's 'listening' tour after he assumed the leadership mantle failed to reach Donegal - a key electoral target he needs to win to have a snowballs change in hell of becoming Taoiseach - somehow this doesn't surprise me.

[antagoniser]

I've never been so shocked in my whole life!

[Sidewinder]

Jimmy's just annoyed cos the Harte clan believe that a) God has ordained that there be a FG seat in Donegal NE and b) The Hartes are His Chosen Representatives for the seat. The current 3 FF seats is an unholy sign of the Devil, and only a Harte can do God's Work and restore balance to the universe. Or something.

Storm in a teacup really. FG's hold on the seat began vanishing in the 90s, and they'll need a lot of FF deserters switching to FG in the next election to ever get it back. The core true-blue FG vote just isn't there any more.

[petdoherty]

The chairman of the Strategy Group in DNE ,a Willie Mc Cafferty , former Councillor appointed by HQ said on Highland Radio " I told Tom Curran that the Convention was rigged and he said , - " I know , so what did you expect " Mr Mc Cafferty , a respected businessman in the County, is also reported to have said " there are rumours that the Donegal Convention was decided in Laois Offaly "......tut tut tut ... Interesting qoute from Bruce Arnold in last Saturdays Indo " will Joe Mc Hugh concede space to allow Paddy Hartes son on the FG ticket"

[Cormac Donaghey]

The only hope FG had was one candidate with the whole FG party behind them enthusiastically to win the seat in DNE. Either way they are hammered now.

Harte will poll well enough but ultimately he is a spoiler. Then again if Jimmy McDaid does not get the nod in DNE from FF HQ and he has pitched it clearly that Letterkenny has been shafted, Letterkenny based Harte could take enough votes to outpoll McHugh and on McHughs transfers could squeeze one of the FF candidates, most likely Blaney.

See, things are changing so quickly up here, even I'm confused.

I predict 1 FF, 1SF and then FF and Harte competing for the last seat. Harte possibly becoming the casting vote on Inda becoming Taoiseach. That would be fun.

Plllleaase Jimmy. Don't break my harte.....

I'll make you the second Jimmy from Letterkenny to become Minister for fun.

[President Bartlet]

Funny how history seems to repeat itself - FG and Enda seemed to have learnt nothing about FF's mistakes in this field of turning down / falling out with candidates only for them to run as Independents and win - e.g. Healy Rae in 1997, and others in 2002 (Breen etc) that cost Bertie and FF an overall majority.
So if history is on course to repeat otself then Harte will win a seat and Enda will probably have to rely on his vote to become Taoiseach. then watch how quick he is reintergrated back into FG.

[FakeViking]

FG should suggest introducing a failed candidate with a serious drink problem, no driving ability, and a sad attitude to the victims of suicide. It might get them the 97th seat in DNE.

[rover]

i'm confused. how could a two-horse race convention, with a one member one vote system, be rigged by tom curran?