9 h 40. In Damgan, the market is in full swing. On Avenue du Général de Gaulle, Anne Le Hénanff gives her instructions to the activists who accompany her: two pairs will distribute leaflets at the entrances, the outgoing MP and a young activist will wander around to meet voters. “It’s a campaign where you have to constantly readjust! On Monday, the surprise was the withdrawal of Anne Gallo (Editor’s note: candidate of the New Popular Front). I have to rewrite the speech for my public meeting.” But she will also be at five markets.
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10 h 15. The Vannetaise knows Damgan well. As a child, she used to come there on holiday. The problem is that she mostly comes across… holidaymakers. To the passers-by whose gaze she catches, she says hello and starts a conversation. She gets “We don’t vote anymore!”, “I’m not a racist guy, but I want that to change”, but also “We trust you” or “It’s won”. She answers about the laws that the RN did not vote for on immigration or Defence, points out that her rival does not live in the constituency or explains: “I need the best score to show that Morbihan is blocking the RN.” Further on, she invites voters from the 4th constituency to vote
Paul Molac, although not from his camp. “He will be facing an RN candidate. Go and vote for him.”
11 h. When they don’t have any customers, the candidate also approaches the shopkeepers. She takes the opportunity to do two errands “to be sure to have something when I get home…” she says. Since the evening of June 9 and the announcement of the dissolution, her life has been turned upside down. “I’ve never experienced a campaign like this!” She doesn’t hide her fatigue.
11 h 40. Back at the campaign office in a commercial area of Vannes, half a dozen activists greet him. Not all the young people expected are there, due to the oral exams for the baccalaureate and the start of their internship. The meeting begins with Damgan’s debriefing. “Be careful, we met a lot of people who voted RN. If there are any abstainers, they will be on our side.” The discussion becomes lively on the strategy to adopt. “Le Télégramme and Tébéo offered us a televised debate, I would have liked that, but Mr. Martin is not available…”, Anne Le Hénanff tackles. “Instead, I can go door to door.” But where? “Go see people who will be happy to see you, that will motivate the troops. Work your field!” philosophizes an experienced activist.
12 h 15. The roles are distributed for the posters’ sticking. Between fatigue and need to relax, jokes fly, but there is one point left on the agenda: the public meeting this Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Palais des Arts. “That’s my priority. There has to be people,” remobilizes the candidate. WhatsApp loops are activated. “Well, for Sunday, whatever the result, we’ll meet up, but I’m not planning anything,” she concludes, before thanking the activists and moving on to an essential meeting: her application submission to the prefecture.
Tomorrow “On the campaign trail with… Joseph Martin (RN)”
