After counting 328 polling stations out of 587, about 58% of Likud members voted on Tuesday, and after counting 60% of those votes, it appears to be crowded at the top. At this point (8 AM, Wednesday), Transport Minister Yisrael Katz is in first place, followed immediately by Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein.
Former minister Gideon Sa’ar, whom Netanyahu has targeted for personal attacks over the PM’s suspicions of his plans to grab Presdet Rivlin’s appointment to cobble a coalition government, came in third. Netanyahu said on Tuesday that he didn’t mind Sa’ar coming in second or below, as long as he didn’t win first place.
Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev took fourth place, Minister of Public Security, Strategic Affairs and Minister of Information Gilad Erdan took fifth place.
The real results are expected later on Wednesday morning (Israeli elections are conducted with paper ballots).
The first five are followed by former Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat, ministers Yariv Levin and Yoav Galant, MK Avi Dichter and Minister Gila Gamliel.
Here is the list of Likud candidates for the Knesset, as of Wednesday morning:
1. Israel Katz
2. Yuli Edelstein
3. Gideon Sa’ar
4. Miri Regev
5. Gilad Erdan
6. Yariv Levin
7. Nir Barkat
8. Yoav Galant
9. Avi Dichter
10. Gila Gamliel
11. Zeev Elkin
12. Haim Katz
13. Tzipi Hotovely
14. David Amsalem
15. Ofir Akunis
16. Yuval Steinitz
17. Tzachi Hanegbi
18. Amir Ohana
19. Yoav Kisch
20. David Bitan
21. Mickey Zohar
22. Sharren Haskel
23. Ayub Kara
24. Keti Shitrit
25. Yehuda Glick
26. Keren Barak
27. Oren Hazan
28. Nurit Koren
29. Anat Berko
30. Yaron Mazuz
