Robbie Butler says UUP vote is up, but it's neck and neck between DUP and Alliance for Lagan Valley seat
A contest between the DUP and Alliance for the Lagan Valley seat could go down to the wire, the Ulster Unionist candidate has said.
Robbie Butler said that although the DUP vote is “down considerably” in the constituency, he didn’t think the UUP vote share has increased sufficiently to mount a challenge on this occasion.
However, he said was not conceding defeat as there were still some ballot boxes to be opened.
In the seat previously held by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, it is now shaping up as a two-way contest between the DUP’s Jonathan Buckley and Alliance candidate Sorcha Eastwood.
Mr Butler said: “The Ulster Unionist vote is up but it’s maybe not going to hit the heights I had thought we would or expected, but certainly reflective of the hard work that has been put in by my team.
“There is still a way to go here. It looks like it is going to be an interesting contest between the DUP and Alliance.
“The DUP vote is down considerably and it looks like it is going to be a long count to verify that and see how close it actually is.”
Mr Butler added: “At this stage it is looking doubtful but it is not over until it is over.”