Election becomes unpredictable two-horse contest after political novice quits over debt revelations
One of the three main candidates in Ireland’s presidential election has quit the race in a bombshell announcement that has upended the contest.
Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin withdrew on Sunday night after revelations about an unpaid debt to a former tenant, turning the election into an unpredictable two-horse race between a centre-right former government minister and an independent leftwing member of parliament.
Gavin, 54, a political novice who was parachuted into the campaign after careers in sport, aviation and the military, quit after it emerged he had failed to return a rent overpayment of €3,300 (£2,865) when he was a landlord about 16 years ago, when he was in financial difficulty.
“I made a mistake that was not in keeping with my character and the standards I set myself. I am now taking steps to address the matter,” he said. “I have also thought long and hard about the potential impact of the ongoing campaign on the wellbeing of my family and friends.
