SINN Fein's John O'Dowd has launched his campaign for Upper Bann's Westminster seat a matter of days before he's due to contest an internal party election for the Sinn Féin deputy leadership.
Mr O'Dowd, who was runner up to the DUP's David Simpson in 2017, is seeking to overcome a majority of almost 8,000.
The Upper Bann MLA is also challenging Michelle O'Neill for the role of Sinn Féin deputy leader.
Party delegates are set to vote in the contest next weekend at the Sinn Féin ard fheis in Derry.
Since announcing his audacious challenge more than two months ago, Mr O'Dowd has kept a low profile, making few media appearances.
Last month The Irish News reported that Sinn Féin had moved to shut down debate around the deputy leadership challenge, with the former Stormont education minister not making his case at hustings events or through the media.
