It's hard to imagine Pippa Hackett leading the Green Party in the next general election - when she has never been elected herself, according to one journalist.
The senator is vying for the top spot of the party, running against current Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman.
Announcing her leadership bid on The Hard Shoulder, the Offaly-based farmer said she would bring a different perspective to the party.
Journalist Valerie Cox said Senator Hackett does not have as strong a chance of becoming leader as Mr O’Gorman.
“She has never won an election,” she told The Anton Savage Show. “She’s a senator – she wasn’t elected in a Dáil election.
“Remember, the Green Party leader is going to be the one having to take this party into the next general election – how is she going to do that? She’s never been elected herself.”
Ms Cox acknowledged Ivana Bacik was also not a TD when she became Labour Party leader – but pointed out Deputy Bacik was already a ‘household name’.
“[Deputy Bacik] has been around for decades,” she said. “Pippa Hackett hasn’t.”
'Sexist' commentSenator Hackett also told The Hard Shoulder her position as a woman from outside Dublin would boost the Green Party's image.
"The party has never had a non-Dublin leader, we've never had a woman lead the party,” she said.
"I believe my different perspective, and certainly my different life experiences, can make the Green Party relevant and relatable inside and outside of Dublin."
Ms Cox, however, called this sentiment ‘ridiculous’.
“I mean, the Greens have had so few leaders and so have the other parties,” she said.
“How many women have been leaders of any parties in this country?
“I mean, it’s terribly sexist, isn’t it?”
Hackett vs O'GormanProfessor of Politics at DCU Gary Murphy said Mr O’Gorman would certainly be the “continuity” candidate after Eamon Ryan’s sudden resignation.
“He seems to have been in the Greens since he was 12 years old,” he said.
“But maybe the existential crisis facing both potential leaders is that, judging by the European election results and the local election results, they're in for a difficult Dáil election.”
Political commentator Ursula Ní Shabhais said it would be a challenge for either leader to entice rural Ireland to vote Green.
“People aren't this homogenous group that they're going to just say, ‘Well, now there's somebody like me [in charge], I better vote for them’,” she said.
“Whether or not there has been any kind of bias, the perceived bias is there against parts of rural Ireland – so they will have a long way to go.”
Minister Roderic O'Gorman outside Government Buildings briefing the media, 23-5-23. Image: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie
The Green Party leader is elected from a direct vote of all party members. It is expected the new leader will be announced on July 8th.
Green Party TD Ossian Smyth has put himself forward as a potential deputy leader, after Catherine Martin also announced her resignation, and said he would back Senator Hackett as leader.
Dublin Central TD Neasa Hourigan has also announced her intention to run for deputy leader of the party.
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