FF slip to third in North West
The pair both edged Fianna Fail favourite Sean O Neachtain into third place.
There were loud cheers from the Sinn Fein camp as Doherty’s first count result of 65,321 was announced, easily placing him in the running for one of three seats.
O Neachtain remains firm favourite to take the first Brussels seat but is unlikely to be elected until well into tomorrow.
His success has come at the expense of running mate Jim McDaid, who has already conceded the seat.
“It’s all over for me,” he said. “I accepted that last night.”
The first round results came as a surprise to the majority of candidates and their supporters at the Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny, but O Neachtain remained confident.
O Neachtain said: “With Jim McDaid surplus my results will be high enough.
“We are still on track land are in with a very good chance. I am sure we will retain our seat.”
If Harkin claims the second seat, the fight for the third looks certain to be a three-horse race with Dana Rosemary Scallon, Fine Gael’s Jim Higgins and Doherty all too close to call.
The armies of Tally men all agree that the final result will depend on which of the three is eliminated first, although Doherty’s surprise first round success places him as the strongest contender.
With Labour’s Hugh Baxter and Independent Marie Hainsworth eliminated in the first round, Fine Gael’s Madeline Taylor-Quinn was set to be next for the chop.
Her transfers will be crucial to fellow party candidate Higgins, although up to 25 per cent are said to have gone to Scallon at his cost.
“It’s all about geography,” said McDaid. “People are voting for places not parties.”
The Transport Minister put his own defeat down to the success of 26-year-old Doherty in Donegal who is expected to do well from McDaid’s transfers when the count resumes tomorrow.
First count results:
Ms Marian Harkin (Ind) 66,664
Pearse Doherty (SF) 65,321
*Sean O Neachtain (FF) 62,085
Jim Higgins (FG) 59,396
*Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon (Ind Sc) 56,992
James McDaid (FF) 52,139
Ms Madeleine Taylor-Quinn (FG) 41,570
Hughie Baxter (Lab) 13,948
Ms Marie Hainsworth (Ind H) 3,308
Eliminated: Hughie Baxter, Ms Marie Hainsworth
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