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FORMER LEADER OF Sinn Féin Gerry Adams has said he believes the party “called it wrong” during the presidential election campaign by not engaging with its voters.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One this morning, Adams said that Liadh Ní Riada was a “formidable candidate” but that the party was “never going to win”.
“I think we called it wrong in that we didn’t engage our own people.”
Ní Riada came in third place during October’s presidential campaign receiving 6.4% of the vote, while Michael D Higgins won a second presidential term with 55.8%.
Sinn Féín party leader Mary Lou McDonald has previously said she did not regret running Ni Riada in the race but was disappointed that the party did not poll more strongly.
Adams believes that the party’s poor performance at the polls was due to a lack of engagement.
What was interesting was the exit poll said up to 18 or 19% of those who had voted for Michael D would vote for Sinn Féinn in another election. So we called it wrong in that we didn’t engage our own vote.
When asked by Ryan Tubridy what he would have done to engage voters, Adams said he didn’t know exactly but knows the issue was that people did not see it as a regular presidential election.
“We didn’t get people engaged because they didn’t see it as an election which would deal with housing, homelessness, health services, with any of those issues.
“And just to be fair, Michael D is a formidable president. We were never going to win,” Adams said.
He continued that while Higgins was a strong candidate he believes that votes lost during the election will come back to Sinn Féin.
The Louth TD told Tubridy that he was “not in the least” bit interested in running himself during the election adding he has been honoured to be in public office for “longer than I like to recall”.
Adams stepped down as leader of Sinn Féin earlier this year and said this morning that once the Taoiseach calls an election that’s him done.
Sinn é.
The biggest loss for Sinn Fein in 2018 was Doherty refusing to be considered for the big job. They would have had my vote otherwise. Will never back Mary Lou, another Joan Burton in the making.
@Louis Jacob: Finucane would have been the right candidate but sinn fein are running women candidates these days if you haven’t noticed the smell of benelovent feminism ?
Sinn Fein slogan should be “The Election Party “…Great at winning elections but after that don’t want to make any decisions or be in government……not in Stormont Westminister or the Dail….
@iComment: sure FF/FG would never share power with them
@White Rabbit: … with anyone.
Gerry for President 2025. He could be our Nelson Mandela.
@European Bob: He had to admit to his violent past first. Mandella did so.
And to continue the analogy, what oppression are we currently under and how is he our symbol of liberation?
@Jonathan Morgan: What violent past? If you have any information pass it on to the authorities.
@James Kiernan: Ha ha ha James, you’re a funny man, next thing you’ll be looking for Gerry to be made a Saint.
Caoimhghin O Caolain would probably have been a better fit for the candidacy TBH. He has a long history of public service and is an excellent communicator.
@The Risen:
Don’t think anyone was going to heat O’Higgins
Sinn Fein were humiliated at the presidential election. 50%+ drop on their previous result. “No engagement” is a polite way of saying the country didn’t care.
@Clifford Brennan: SF have had their best results ever in most of the recent elections. In a 32 county context they are also pretty much the most supported party on the Island.
@The Risen: The 32 county context is currently no context.
@The Risen: As an “ex SF”voter (for now),who want’s to vote for a person who will not take up their seats in Parliament and especially at times of critical importance to our country?And I will tell the SF people that whenever they come calling looking for my vote next.
@Billy McNamara: ‘who want’s to vote for a person who will not take up their seats in Parliament’
Voters who agree with SFs policy of abstention
Let me know if I can help you with anything else…
@The Risen: That’s not the point I was making but I appreciate you completely ignoring it to run some interference for SF. :)
Incidentally, the combined votes of SF north & south from their last respective general elections still has them coming up short against FG. Its a silly point to hang off though. Meaningless.
@Clifford Brennan:
The point you were making? Was it that this was the lowest Presidential election turn out in the history of the state for all party candidates but you forgot that when singling out one party and now you look like a bit of a fool. That point?
@Milk The Drones: Singling out the one party that is the subject of the article. Back to your crayons, ya little scamp! :)
@The Risen:
I don’t think SF should take up their seats (but the shouldn’t get the salary either) the people of NI knew that when they voted for them and they have to accept the consequences.
But you would be wrong to say all those voters agree with that policy, the reality is votes in NI are nothing more than a sectarian head count, almost all unionists vote DUP to keep SF out and almost all nationalists vote SF to get DUP out.
@The Risen: Stay outside and talk all you want.Inside is where the big decisions are made that effect us all.I want the people who I voted for to be inside.
@Patrick Nolan: They don’t get a Westminster salary.
@Padraic Courtney:
Fair enough, it seems they don’t get a salary, although they do get an expenses account
So, Gerry is saying Mary Lou is doing a great job? No, i don’t think he is.
@Chin Feeyin: No and I’d say Gerry knows that well.
@Chin Feeyin: takes one to know one. Nothing more than a toe rag, always has been and always will be.
SF politicians have drifted from their core voters to the upper middle class and into the elites,this is the votes they are chasing and they are leaving their grassroots voters behind.
@@mdmak33: to appeal to middle ireland they should advocate the removal of the usc tax etc. Their main voting base is the underclass who do not pay any tax and get everything handed to them.
@@mdmak33: They definitely have a problem with deciding who they are alright, much more so than any other party IMHO. Depending on who you talk to they are or could be described as:
1) Fianna Fail lite
2) Hard Left
3) Democratic socialists
4) Political wing of the provos
5) Open border extremists
6) Ultra Nationalists
7) Republican
It also depends I am sure on whether you are North or South. I think myself they are essentially a new version of Fianna Fail and aiming to be all things to all people. If they ever get into coalition that will be apparent.
@Pádraig Debhál: populist like FF their natural coalition partners.
@Pádraig Debhál: in what way are they hard left?
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: I’m not suggesting they are hard left Cormac. I am merely saying that they are given all these conflicting labels and to an extent they have an identity issue. For sake of discussion, possibly one could argue that a wealth tax and a third rate of income tax are hard left type policies, I don’t think they are necessarily centre left polices. However from Solidarity and PBP perspective Sinn Fein are more of a Centre party.
Biggest mistake was handing power to the southern yobos. Somebody thought they would get a bounce with MLMCD at the helm. Poppies and inexperience from Ni Riada plus half their vote didnt come out and those that did went for MDH. Always trying to be clever but doesnt work not in the free state world down here.
@John Nolan: ‘Free State’. You must be living in some sort of time warp.
Wouldn’t vote for this shower of thugs, ever! Dubious past, that’s being polite, and not a credible policy on anything, totally in opposition mode only.
@Jun Stone: that sounds like Fianna Fáil
Too much use of the word ‘formidable’ here. Unforunately you can’t describe both the easy winner and the easily beaten using the same adjective.
Compare and contrast with the chaos across the water and be careful what you wish for
Why is Michael D “formidable” as I don’t think he earned it but we the people were sold that as many an engine might sound beautiful but if it hasn’t any horsepower then what use is it. An unless engine is only as good as how its sold. The same with politics and I think Gerry might be planning to be future President himself now by being noticed often enough?
I was hoping that st might be different but surprise surprise there all the same, on the free running gravy train
It’s not often they tell the truth but this time they are.
Grubby Grabby Money D Higgins and the Shinners can only get 6% .
Time for the Shinners time to have a think about Mass Immigration , Globalisation , George Soros .
Get back to me when Ye have some sensible Policies on these .
I won’t be voting for Ye again until then .
@Pl O’neill: Michael D and SF can only get 6%!? Whaa?
have your say