An opinion poll has predicted that gay politician David Norris is ahead in the race for the Irish presidency.
The Irish independent senator was preferred by 27 percent of the 1,001 people surveyed. The second place candidate only received 13 percent support from the survey respondents.
Mr. Norris has almost 25 years of political experience. In October, he told the Guardian newspaper, “If I am elected president, I would use the ensuing media attention to ‘sell Ireland.’ Anybody else elected as president of Ireland I don’t think is going to get the same kind of sensational news coverage. And I think that’s splendid, because if I (go) to Washington as president, every single news channel will be there hungry for a story.
“I have been around long enough to deal with that story with dignity and then move on to talk about Ireland, to sell our country.”
Commenting on his private life, Mr. Norris stated that he was not afraid of media attention. He stated, “I have lived a decent, respectable life, and there has been no scandal.”
In October, two other polls put him at the front of the race to succeed current president Mary MacAleese this fall.
Norris was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in Ireland.
