"If Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald ­enters the race, our poll suggests it would become an even tighter four-horse race, with Connolly ­suffering most damage - but it would still leave nearly a third of people in the undecided camp. These unenthusiastic voters hold the key to Áras an Uachtaráin and a wise candidate would be offering them something to latch on to."
"The startling lack of clarity is reflected in today's latest Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll, which finds the three main party-backed candidates virtually neck-and-neck. Fine Gael's ­Heather Humphreys enjoys a negligible one-point lead over her two principal rivals, the joint left candidate Catherine Connolly and Jim Gavin, the most likely victor in the upcoming battle on Tuesday evening to be Fianna Fáil's nominee. Previous campaigns have shown these positions can change quickly. There is, to ­borrow a sporting cliche, everything to play for."
Polling finds the three main party-backed candidates almost level, with Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys holding a negligible one-point lead over Catherine Connolly and Jim Gavin. About four in ten voters remain undecided, creating a large unenthusiastic bloc that could decide the result. Potential entry by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald would tighten the contest into a four-way race and would most damage Connolly, while still leaving many undecided. Candidates generally lack clear, distinguishable platforms to excite voters. Peripheral hopefuls such as Conor McGregor register minimal support and have no realistic chance. Turnout will be decisive.
Read at Irish Independent
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