Fianna Fáil councillor in Westport Brendan Mulroy has withdrawn from the General Election race.
He had been put forward as a candidate for the Fianna Fáil selection convention for Mayo, scheduled for this Friday.
However, last night the councillor announced that he is backing Deputy Dara Calleary and Senator Lisa Chambers as the party attempts s to win two seats in the 5 seater constituency and is withdrawing his nomination.
A statement published on the councillor’s Facebook page indicates that there was widespread speculation that the party would run three candidates in Mayo in the upcoming General Election and that he was in key position in light of the political vacuum that Westport is facing, as Fine Gael deputy Michael Ring is not contesting.
However, Councillor Mulroy said he has spoken to the party’s grassroots in west Mayo and that despite having significant support to secure the party’s nomination, he believes that the strongest prospect of Fianna Fáil securing two seats in the next Dáil is to have a two-candidate strategy.
However, it will be Friday night before we know if Fianna Fail will run a two or three ticket campaign in county Mayo.
