The entrance of Mr Enda Kenny into the Fine Gael leadership battle has created an air of expectancy in his home constituency of Mayo.
Having spent a quarter of a century as a committed TD, and served as an effective minister for tourism and trade, few doubt his ability to "scale Everest" from the respected political plateau to which he has hauled himself.
Polished, photogenic, friendly, efficient. These were some of the words used in the former school teacher's home town of Castlebar yesterday to describe the man who, on the verge of 50, believes he is best equipped to take over Fine Gael from Mr John Bruton, to whom he has given unswerving loyalty.
A glowing testimonial has come from an unexpected source. Former Fianna Fail minister for the Gaeltacht, Mr Denis Gallagher, who fought a number of general elections against Mr Kenny described him as a man with ability and personality. "Personality is very important in this media age. Enda has also proven his ability in the different portfolios he has held inside and outside government. He would be well suited to the position of party leader."
A son of the late Henry Kenny, parliamentary secretary to the minister for finance from 1973 to 1975, he was first elected to the Dail at the by-election that followed his father's death in 1975.
As minister for trade and tourism during the rainbow coalition from 1994 to 1997, he succeeded in bringing the ill-fated 1998 Tour de France to the State, which was overshadowed by a drug scandal. He was concerned at the time with maintaining tourism figures, especially when the IRA ceasefire broke down in 1996.
Mr Kenny fell out of favour with some Mayo constituents when as minister he attended a protest by householders who had lost multi-channel TV and told them the lack of television had revived the art of conversation.
Mr Kenny also served as minister of state at the Department of Education and the Department of Labour with special responsibility for youth affairs between February 1986 and March 1987. He has worked as Fine Gael Chief Whip, front bench spokesman on Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands and spokesman on Regional Development. He was a member of Mayo County Council between 1975 and 1995. As the current Fine Gael spokesman on education, he has kept a low profile on the sector.
He has supported Mr Bruton in previous leadership challenges and was one of the first TDs to declare his support for him this week.
He has always enjoyed popularity with voters, though a recent poll carried out by MRBI for TG4, suggested his mantle was slipping and that Dail colleague Mr Jim Higgins was now more popular in the constituency. However, the TG4 poll showed Mr Kenny to be popular among younger voters and female voters.
The would-be Fine Gael leader is married to Ms Fionnuala O'Kelly, a former public relations manager with RTE. She also worked for the Fianna Fail press office and in March 1987 became the first woman head of the Government Information Services. The couple have three young children, two girls and a boy.