What is it about the Social Democrats that voters are finding increasingly attractive? |
What is it about the cool and easy-on-the-eye Social Democrats that voters are finding increasingly attractive? They only contested their first national election 10 years ago and, already, they are the second-biggest Opposition party, the second-biggest party on Dublin City Council, have their first elected senator, hold half the Dáil seats in Dublin Central, won more first-preference votes than Sinn Féin in the Galway West byelection, and the latest poll shows their leader is the most popular in the country. New kids on the block syndrome, some might pooh-pooh, but there are newer kids – chronologically if not age-wise – who would eat their Tricolours for some of that appeal.
“Knock on people’s doors, don’t generate hate and be ideas-focused,” Gary Gannon listed as the ingredients for their success after last weekend’s byelections. But their soul mates – if not their mates, exactly – in the Labour Party could say the same.
It was John Stephens, Fianna Fáil’s “Mr 4 per cent” in Dublin Central, who exposed the Soc Dems’ allure, albeit inadvertently.
“Twelve-and-a-half thousand steps daily,” is how he summarised his own valiant, footslogging canvass, which culminated in his elimination after the second count. “Three new pairs of shoes.”
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The contrast was stark. Gannon and his new Dáil colleague in the constituency,........