North Antrim Constituency

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No Paisleys this time but the DUP vote should be solid enough. The big thing here is if Jim Allister, as we are led to believe, stands for the TUV, will he take a seat. The Westminster election suggests he would have a good chance.

The Ulster Unionists are unlikely to make any advance and SF have a solid seat and that's it but do stand a good chance of topping the poll with it.

SDLP should be assisted by the TUV entering the race but will be happy just to hang on to the one seat they have.

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Confirmed candidates for May 2011;

Jim Allister: TUV

Jayne Dunlop: Alliance Party

Paul Frew: DUP

Bill Kennedy: UUP

David McIlveen: DUP

Daithi McKay: Sinn Fein

Declan O'Loan: SDLP

Audrey Patterson: TUV

Evelyne Robinson: DUP

Mervyn Storey: DUP

Robin Swann: UUP

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Made up from much of the Ballymoney, Ballymena, Ballyclare and Moyle Council areas.

Considered the heartland of the DUP but with sizeable Nationalist areas from The Glens through Dunloy to Rasharkin and large parts of the Bann Valley.

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Turn out - 54%

No Paisleys on the ballot paper.

Looks like SF's Daithí McKay could top the poll with Gollum Allister taking a seat.

Declan O'Loan of the SDLP could have trouble holding on for the 6th seat against the UU.

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Fisticuffs last night at a polling station in Gracehill. TUV v DUP

Paisley óg reckons Allister will take a seat commenting,

'Every court needs a Jester, every circus needs a clown'

[Fraxinus]

Fisticuffs last night at a polling station in Gracehill. TUV v DUP

Paisley óg reckons Allister will take a seat commenting,

'Every court needs a Jester, every circus needs a clown'

Dueling bibles in North Antrim

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1st count

Paul Frew DUP 6,581 16.3%
Daithí McKay SF 6,152 15.3%
Mervyn Storey DUP 6,083 15.1%
Jim Allister TUV 4,061 10.1%
Declan O'Loan SDLP 3,682 9.1%
David McIlveen DUP 3,275 8.1%
Evelyne Robinson DUP 3,256 8.1%
Robin Swann UUP 2,518 6.2%
Bill Kennedy UUP 2,189 5.4%
Jayne Dunlop All 1,848 4.6%
Audrey Patterson TUV 668 1.7%


Frew and Storey (DUP) and McKay (SF) elected.

Jim Allister far from safe, a colleague says if he fails to be elected the TUV are dead. Sounds good to me.