Independent Cllr Joe Bonner to run in general election for Meath East

Ashbourne Independent poll topping Cllr Joe Bonner has announced that he will be vying for a seat in Meath East in the forthcoming general election.

He shared the news on social media yesterday and also invited members of the public to his campaign launch this Tuesday 12th November at 8pm in the Ashbourne house hotel.

In a Facebook post, Bonner said:

"I want to let you know that I am running in the upcoming General Election on 29th November. I would like to invite you to the launch of my campaign, which will take place in The Ashbourne House on Tuesday, 12th November, at 8 PM.

"This event is not a fundraiser, rather, it’s an opportunity for you to show your support and help build momentum for a campaign aimed at electing a genuine Independent T.D. for Meath East.

"I would also appreciate your assistance in spreading the word by sharing this invitation with others, attending the launch, or helping with leafleting or canvassing in the coming weeks, every bit of support will make a significant difference as we work towards this goal.

"Together, we can make it happen!"

In the June local election Bonner headed the poll with 2,685 votes, 1,172 ahead of his nearest rival, another Independent, Cllr Amanda Smith.

In 2019 the local representative also topped the poll with 2,140 first preference votes.

He was first elected to Meath County Council in 2004 as an independent councillor.

In September, Bonner confirmed that he had engaged in discussions with political parties in the shadow of the then looming election.

The Ashbourne councillor told the Meath Chronicle at the time that he always responded to invitations to meet anyone but stressed that he had not initiated the discussions and that the request to meet him had “come the other way”.

“They asked to meet me, I did not ask to meet them”, he said. He said that he had had approaches from “all the major political parties except one” to meet up. He did not say which party had not approached him.

Cllr Bonner staunchly maintained his longstanding status as an Independent on Meath County Council saying that he had built up “great capital” as an Independent.