As the US President prepares to appoint an ambassador to Ireland, one contender has received strong backing from former Senator George Mitchell, fresh from his success in chairing the Northern Ireland peace talks.
Mr Mitchell is said to have urged President Bill Clinton to nominate Mr Paul Quinn, a Washington lawyer and lobbyist, for the post, which becomes vacant early in July when Mrs Jean Kennedy Smith returns to the US.
But The Irish Times has learned that a member of President Clinton's cabinet, the ambassador to the UN, Mr Bill Richardson, has been sounding out Democrats on Capitol Hill on whether Mr Mark Gearan, director of the Peace Corps and a former senior White House aide, would be an acceptable choice.
The Education Secretary, Mr Dick Riley, remains the favourite for the Dublin post. He is a close friend of Mr Clinton and a former governor of South Carolina. But while Mr Riley and his wife are keen to go to Dublin, he is deeply involved in promoting the President's education goals and may not want to leave his post at this time.
Some observers believe the President and Mr Riley will discuss the matter later this week to allow Mr Clinton to make his choice. The nominee's name would then have to be submitted to the Irish Government for its agreement or approval.
But the nominee must then be approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee headed by the formidable Senator Jesse Helms, who has indicated he must have the names of ambassadors-designate before the end of July if they are to be confirmed before the mid-term elections next November.
Two prominent Irish-American Congressmen say it looks as if Mr Gearan is becoming "the frontrunner" for the Dublin post. Although many Congress members interested in Irish affairs have signed a letter to Mr Clinton recommending the appointment of Mr Quinn and he now has Senator Mitchell's influential support, Mr Gearan has powerful backing inside the White House, where he was a director of communications before heading the Peace Corps. This support may include Mrs Hillary Clinton.
Another name mentioned is a former trade union leader, Mr Tom Donohue, who would have the backing of the president of the labour federation, AFL-CIO, Mr John Sweeney, who has considerable influence with Mr Clinton, especially in an election year.
All four contenders have family roots in Ireland.