Mary Lou McDonald Still a Contender for Áras Showdown?

Despite heated speculation and shifting dynamics within the Sinn Féin camp, Mary Lou McDonald remains a leading potential candidate in the upcoming presidential election.

That's according to our political correspondent Séan Defoe, who speaking on Morning Mix today believes that Sinn Féin is deliberately delaying a formal announcement until around 20th September laying the groundwork for a short sharp campaign—one perfectly suited for a high-profile figure like McDonald.  Seán Defoe believes that sidelining McDonald in favour of a lesser-known candidate now would likely disappoint supporters and dilute the party’s momentum. “The longer her name remains in the hat” he said “the harder it becomes to exclude her.” Although Sinn Féin publicly expresses a desire for McDonald to become Taoiseach rather than pivot to the Áras, Defoe cautions that the party’s actions may diverge from its statements: “It wouldn’t be unusual for Sinn Féin to tell us one thing and do another.”