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In a surprising turn of events, a key main hopefuls in Ireland's election for president has left the campaign, dramatically altering the political landscape.

Sudden Exit Transforms Political Contest

The party's presidential hopeful pulled out on the evening of Sunday following reports about an unpaid debt to a previous occupant, turning the race into an uncertain two-horse race between a moderate right past cabinet member and an autonomous progressive legislator.

The 54-year-old Gavin, a newcomer to politics who joined the race after work in sports, airline industry and defense, withdrew after it emerged he had neglected to refund a excess rental payment of €3,300 when he was a lessor about a decade and a half ago, during a period of economic hardship.

"I committed an error that was inconsistent with who I am and the standards I set myself. I am now taking steps to address the matter," he said. "Reflecting deeply, concerning the influence of the current political contest on the health of my family and friends.

"Taking all these considerations onboard, I have decided to withdraw from the campaign for president with immediate effect and return to the arms of my family."

Contest Reduced to Primary Hopefuls

The most dramatic event in a political contest in recent history limited the options to one candidate, a ex-minister who is running for the governing moderate right party Fine Gael, and Catherine Connolly, an outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights who is endorsed by a political party and small leftwing opposition parties.

Problem for Leader

This departure also caused a problem for the leader of Fianna Fáil, Micheál Martin, who had risked his standing by nominating an inexperienced hopeful over the skepticism of fellow members.

Martin said Gavin did not want to "cause dispute" to the office of president and was correct to step down. "Jim has accepted that he made an error in relation to an matter that has emerged recently."

Campaign Struggles

Despite a reputation for capability and achievements in business and sport – under his leadership Dublin's Gaelic football team to multiple successive wins – his campaign had stumbled through missteps that caused him to fall behind in an public opinion measure even ahead of the debt news.

Individuals within Fianna Fáil who had been against choosing Gavin said the episode was a "significant mistake" that would have "consequences" – a barely concealed caution to the leader.

Voting System

Gavin's name may stay on the voting paper in the election on 24 October, which will finish the long service of Michael D Higgins, but the electorate now confronts a dichotomy between a traditional center candidate and an autonomous progressive. Opinion research conducted ahead of Gavin's exit gave Connolly 32% support and 23 percent for Humphreys, with 15 percent supporting Gavin.

As per election guidelines, the electorate chooses hopefuls by ranked choice. In case nobody reaches 50% on the first count, the candidate with the least first preference votes is eliminated and their support is passed to the next preference.

Likely Support Redistribution

Observers anticipated that if Gavin was eliminated, most of his votes would go to Humphreys, and the other way around, increasing the likelihood that a establishment hopeful would win the presidential office for the governing partnership.

Function of the President

The role of president is a mostly representative role but Higgins and his predecessors made it a stage for international matters.

Final Contenders

The 68-year-old Connolly, from Galway, would introduce a robust progressive perspective to that legacy. Connolly has attacked neoliberal economics and said the organization constitutes "part of the fabric" of the Palestinian people. She has accused NATO of promoting military solutions and likened the country's raised military budget to the pre-war era, when Adolf Hitler rearmed the country.

The 62-year-old Humphreys, has encountered examination over her performance in government in governments that presided over a housing crisis. Being a member of that faith from the county Monaghan near the border, she has also been faulted for her lack of Irish language skills but commented her Protestant heritage could assist in gaining Northern Ireland's unionists in a combined country.