One man is in the unusual position of facing two elections in two different jurisdictions next week. Unfortunately for him, his chances of getting elected in either are not great. While all attention has been focused on the Northern Ireland Assembly vote on Thursday, a smaller election is also occurring next week when the 224 members of the Oireachtas will chose a new senator. Running in both is the writer, broadcaster and former senator, Sam McAughtry. He is the rainbow candidate in the by-election for the Seanad seat left vacant when Labour's Sean Ryan was recently elected to the Dail for Dublin North. His opponent is FF's John Cregan from Limerick West, where FF hopes to regain a Dail seat next time and who has been endorsed by the coalition partners, the PDs. It's a two-horse race. The Government has 113 votes so, provided the whip holds, Cregan will win without the Independents. The electorate voted at the parliamentary party meetings this week so they could witness each other. Slippage is a serious matter and viewed gravely by both sides who have made solemn pacts to support their candidate. It has happened, however, and it is next to impossible to identify the defectors. The poll closes at 11 a.m. on Tuesday and the count will start immediately in Kildare House. A result is expected by lunchtime. McAughtry faces another count on Friday. He is running for Labour in North Belfast. Non-partisan Labour has never done well in the North. Despite the new climate, PR and cross-party transfers, it is unlikely to do so next week, either.