Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Catherine Connolly, an independent socialist, was elected Ireland's next president in a landslide on Saturday.
Connolly, 68, won a record 63.4% valid votes in Friday's election with the official announcement the next day. Heather Humphreys of the government coalition party Fine Gael finished second with 29.5%. Jim Gavin of the largest government party, Fianna Fail, had only 7%.
Her total shattered the record set in 1959 when Eamon de Valera won his first term as president with 56.3% support. The turnout was 46%.
Connolly, a member of the parliament since 2016 and former Galway mayor, secured 914,143 first preference votes, dominating in all of the 43 districts except Cavan-Monaghan counties, according to Ireland Votes.
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