WATCH: 'We pulled off a whopper campaign' Sinn Féin Laois candidate Mary McCormack
Sinn Féin poised to concede Laois seat to independent Brian Stanley in General Election
The Laois Sinn Féin candidate in General Election 2024 has likely lost her chance to take Brian Stanley's seat but Maria McCormack remains firmly upbeat about the campaign, and her political future.
“I’m absolutely thrilled. Exhausted at this stage it’s been a long day but the campaign went fantastic. I’m delighted to have come out with such a strong vote, especially as a new candidate and a female. As we know it’s very difficult for females to enter into politics," she told the Leinster Express / Laois Live at the count centre on Saturday evening, November 30.
Ms McCormack received 4,914 first preferences, placing her in a decent fourth position behind Fleming, Aird and Stanley.
“No matter what the result is, this has been a victory for us here in Sinn Féin Laois. We had such an amazing team and everybody underestimated us. We’ve pulled off a whopper campaign and have more membership now than we ever had.
“Yes we’ve been rattled but we came out fighting. I’m proud to say that I ran a clean campaign. I didn’t lower myself to any political tactics that were thrown at me from the opposition. We rose above it all. There was a lot of personal attacks on me on social media which were difficult but I’m very proud that we’ve all stood here today and none of us have lowered ourselves to get involved in any of that,” Maria McCormack said.
She is prepared to run again for election either local or nationally.
“It has always been my ambition to serve in the community and serve the constituency. This definitely gives me a platform to do that,” the Sinn Féin candidate said.