The two most likely candidates to succeed Lemass were George Colley and Charles Haughey. Both men were out of the country at the time but rushed back to Dublin immediately to stake their claim. While both men were 41 years old and had less than ten years experience in the Dáil, they were, in reality, like chalk and cheese. Colley, who was the son of a party elder, was seen as the representative of the traditional wing of the party, dedicated to its original principles like the Irish language. He had the support of the older members of the party such as Frank Aiken. Haughey on the other hand was considered a moderniser. The epitome of the "young man in a hurry", he had more support amongst the younger TDs. While a Colley-Haughey election seemed possible at an earlier stage, many members were unhappy about the choice that was on offer.