Federal Election 2019: Independent Lyons candidate Jessica Whelan speaks out about election prospects
Four days out from the Federal election, embattled Lyons candidate Jessica Whelan says she is now feeling good after a tough fortnight.
Tasmania
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FOUR days out from the Federal election, embattled Lyons candidate Jessica Whelan says she is now feeling good after “two weeks of hell.”
The former Liberal candidate was disendorsed and quit the party on May 3 after Islamophobic comments she made on social media were made public.
MORE:
DISENDORSED LYONS CANDIDATE SPEAKS OF THREATS TO FAMILY
WHELAN CONFIRMS SHE WILL RUN AS AN INDEPENDENT IN LYONS
WHELAN SAYS SHE CAN STILL WIN IN LYONS
Ms Whelan admitted making all but one of the comments — which she says was doctored.
She previously said the fallout from the revelation of the comments had been an “extremely difficult period for my family,” with threats made against herself and her children, which she had reported to Tasmania Police.
Running as an independent allowed for greater freedom, Ms Whelan said.
“I’ve had two weeks of hell obviously, but being an independent has given me so much freedom — I wasn’t happy with how the campaign was being managed and just the number of restrictions involved with being tied to a party so I’m feeling really good now and we’ll wait and see what Saturday brings,” she told the Mercury.
Ms Whelan said she was not feeling nervous about her prospects.
“When all this happened I thought ‘there goes my election campaign’ [but] I think the nerves have gone,” she said.
“I’ve had people ringing me every day saying ‘I’m voting for you and I think you’ll win this.’
“Am I convinced I’m going to win it? No, absolutely not, but I think that’s a good way to be. Regardless of the result, I’ll be out celebrating the end of it all.”
Ms Whelan said she was yet to decide where she would spend Saturday, but would likely celebrate with her partner.
“My parents are down from Queensland so we’ll leave the kids with them,” she said.
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