DOMINATED BY the Democratic Unionist Party, the East Derry constituency has three DUP MLAs. All three are going forward again, while the UUP and Sinn Féin are fielding fresh candidates.
The poll-topping Gregory Campbell is easily the best known of the three DUP men, having been elected on the first count with 6,845 first-preference votes in 2007.
He has been the subject of some controversy because the issue of “double-jobbing” MPs and MLAs has flared up lately, but his seat is safe.
The profiles of Campbell’s colleagues George Robinson, from Limavady, and Coleraine-based Adrian McQuillan are much lower, with McQuillan’s seat the more vulnerable, but Campbell will bring in at least one running mate.
The fate of former senior UUP member and now Independent David McClarty is more difficult to predict.
First elected to Stormont following the signing of the Belfast Agreement in 1998, he will fight without the party machine this time having resigned in January after being deselected.
Whether or not his personal vote is strong enough to re-elect him remains to be seen, but he certainly will not embarrass himself. Lesley Macauley and David Harding are going forward for the UUP, with a particular push behind Macauley because the UUP have no women Assembly members.
Sinn Féin’s former MLA here was a man who had taken an incredible journey.
Billy Leonard, a former RUC reservist and ex-Orange Order member, was selected by Sinn Féin to fill the Assembly seat vacated by Francie Brolly in 2009.
However, last month it was reported he had been suspended from the party, having already announced the previous year he would not stand in the Assembly elections. Cathal Ó hOisín and Bernadette Archibald are contesting for the party, but dreams of pushing for two seats have been put on hold for now.
The SDLP veteran John Dallat is running again, along with Thomas Conway this time, but only Dallat can expect to claim victory.
The Traditional Unionist Voice, fielding Boyd Douglas, is not expected to take a seat but the impact on the DUP vote could be interesting. Barney Fitzpatrick, running under the Alliance Party banner, is not expected to rock the boat too much but the patterns traced by his transfers will be worth watching.
This constituency centres on the towns of Coleraine and Limavady. Boundary changes meant wards were gained from the Foyle constituency, making East Derry slightly more nationalist.
EAST DERRY: 6 SEATS
OUTGOING:
Gregory Campbell (DUP), John Dallat (SDLP), Billy Leonard (SF), David McClarty (Ind), Adrian McQuillan (DUP), George Robinson (DUP).
CANDIDATES:
Bernadette Archibald (SF), Gregory Campbell (DUP), Thomas Conway (SDLP), John Dallat (SDLP), Boyd Douglas (TUV), Barney Fitzpatrick (Alliance), David Harding (UUP), Lesley Macauley (UUP), David McClarty (Ind), Adrian McQuillan (DUP), Cathal Ó hOisin (SF), George Robinson (DUP).
LOCAL ISSUES:
Fall-out from previous planning and development decisions remains an issue here, as property prices continuing to fall. Tourism as well as education are high on the agenda, as the University of Ulster has a campus at Coleraine. The shelving of a planed £60 million (€68 million) northwest cancer treatment centre based in Derry is not as big an issue as it is in the Foyle constituency, but has had an impact.
VERDICT:
DUP 3, SDLP 1, UUP 1, SF 1
