PRESIDENCY:FINE GAEL presidential candidate Gay Mitchell is asking people from outside the party, including Fianna Fáil voters, to support him on October 27th.
“I am the Fine Gael-backed candidate and I am seeking the support of others who agree with the sort of things that I have been espousing,” said Mr Mitchell.
Speaking at a press conference after the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting in Galway he said he expected to get extra support now that there was not a Fianna Fáil candidate in the race.
“I got very strong support from people who are not traditional Fine Gael supporters, for example, when I was canvassing at Croke Park last Sunday,” he said.
Mr Mitchell said he remained optimistic despite the opinion polls which showed the Labour Party candidate Michael D Higgins out in front.
He pointed out that at the same stage in the last presidential election, the Labour Party candidate, Adi Roche, was in the lead and while one poll gave her 51 per cent she actually got less than 7 per cent in the election.
