THE race to clinch North Down is heating up after the DUP said it is specifically targeting the seat at next month's general election.
Following independent unionist Lady Sylvia Hermon's announcement last week that she will not stand, the unionist parties have ramped up their campaigns.
DUP leader Arlene Foster said her party is aiming to increase its 10 Westminster seats on December 12 and singled out North Down as a key target.
The party is expected to come under pressure in at least two of its seats including North Belfast and South Belfast.
However, Mrs Foster insisted her party wants to gain MPs.
Speaking as several of her party's candidates submitted their nomination papers at the Electoral Office in Belfast yesterday, she said the DUP will be "putting the effort into all of the seats we held and indeed looking for more as well".
"Lady Sylvia Hermon is not running and we were the runner-up in North Down on the last occasion so we'll be putting forward a very strong team in North Down looking to take that seat as well this time," she said.
"So we're not only looking to retain the seats we held, but we are also looking to make gains as well."
The Ulster Unionists still have not selected a candidate to run in the constituency.
Former Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt has called on his party to run a "progressive" remain candidate who would provide an alternative to the DUP's Alex Easton.
North Down voted 52 per cent in favour of remaining in the EU in the 2016 referendum.
UUP North Down MLA Alan Chambers is among the front-runners to be selected, while it is understood Upper Bann MLA Doug Beattie has come under pressure from party colleagues to put his name forward.
"North Down has a reputation of being a constituency apart, where the votes don't follow the traditional orange and green trend," Mr Nesbitt told the Sunday Times.
He ruled himself out of the contest as a candidate because of a heart issue.
"With the right candidate we would be contenders to win North Down, absolutely. He or she would have to be known to have strong Remain credentials and be a progressive politician overall," the Strangford MLA said.
Meanwhile, the UUP reportedly asked former PSNI chief constable George Hamilton to run in North Down.
Journalist Brian Rowan told Radio Ulster's Talkback programme that the UUP asked Sir George to stand. He also claimed that Lady Sylvia separately asked the former chief constable to stand as an independent in the constituency.
However, Mr Rowan said that Sir George was not a member of any party and would not be standing.
The Green Party is still deciding whether to stand in the constituency. It announced last week it would not be running in any of the four Belfast constituencies to help other Remain parties.
