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In a surprising turn of events, a key leading hopefuls in the Irish race for president has withdrawn from the campaign, upending the entire competition.

Sudden Exit Shakes Up Campaign Landscape

Fianna Fáil's Jim Gavin withdrew on the evening of Sunday following disclosures about an unpaid debt to a former tenant, transforming the election into an volatile two-horse race between a center-right ex-minister and an autonomous progressive parliamentarian.

Gavin, 54, a political novice who was parachuted into the campaign after professional experiences in sports, airline industry and defense, quit after it was revealed he had failed to return a overpaid rent of €3,300 when he was a landlord about a decade and a half ago, during a period of monetary strain.

"It was my fault that was not in keeping with my values and the principles I uphold. I am currently resolving the issue," he declared. "Reflecting deeply, about the potential impact of the ongoing campaign on the health of my loved ones and companions.

"Weighing all these factors, I have decided to withdraw from the presidential election contest with immediate action and go back to my family."

Contest Reduced to Two Main Contenders

A major surprise in a presidential campaign in modern times reduced the field to one candidate, a former cabinet minister who is campaigning for the governing moderate right political party Fine Gael, and Catherine Connolly, an outspoken pro-Palestinian voice who is backed by Sinn Féin and small leftwing opposition parties.

Problem for Leader

This departure also caused a problem for the prime minister and party head, Micheál Martin, who had risked his standing by choosing an untried candidate over the reservations of party colleagues.

The leader stated the candidate wished to avoid "bring controversy" to the presidential role and was correct to step down. "Jim has accepted that he was at fault in relation to an issue that has come up lately."

Campaign Struggles

Even with a track record of capability and achievements in enterprise and sports – under his leadership the capital's GAA team to five straight titles – his election effort faltered through missteps that put him at a disadvantage in an survey even before the unpaid debt disclosure.

Fianna Fáil figures who had opposed selecting Gavin said the fiasco was a "significant mistake" that would have "ramifications" – a thinly veiled warning to Martin.

Voting System

The candidate's name may remain on the ballot in the poll taking place in late October, which will finish the long service of President Higgins, but the electorate now confronts a two options between a centrist establishment candidate and an autonomous progressive. A poll taken before the withdrawal gave 32 percent backing for Connolly and Humphreys nearly a quarter, with 15 percent supporting Gavin.

As per election guidelines, people pick hopefuls by ranked choice. Should no contender surpass half the votes initially, the contender receiving the lowest initial choices is excluded and their ballots are redistributed to the next preference.

Likely Support Redistribution

Analysts predicted that in the event of his exclusion, a majority of his ballots would shift to the other candidate, and the other way around, increasing the likelihood that a establishment hopeful would attain the presidency for the Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael coalition.

Presidential Duties

This office is a mostly representative role but incumbents and past holders transformed it into a stage for international matters.

Remaining Candidates

Connolly, 68, from Galway, would bring a strong leftwing voice to that legacy. She has criticized free-market policies and stated the group represents "a fundamental element" of the Palestinian community. She has charged Nato of militarism and likened the country's raised military budget to the thirties, when Adolf Hitler rearmed the country.

Humphreys, 62, has been subjected to review over her record as a minister in governments that presided over a property shortage. As a Protestant from the border county of Monaghan, she has also been questioned about her failure to speak Gaelic but stated her faith tradition could assist in gaining loyalists in the North in a reunified nation.