The Liberal Party candidate, David Lloyd George (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a local solicitor from Criccieth (one of the six boroughs in the district).

In 1890 he was an ambitious young man, aged 27, whose political and legal work had made him well known in all parts of the constituency.

He served in many high offices, notably as Chancellor of the Exchequer 1908-1915 and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1916-1922.

Liberal support tended to be associated with religious nonconformity and the Conservative voters were more likely to be Anglican in religion.

[3] In January 1889, the local Liberal Association selected Lloyd George as their prospective Parliamentary candidate.

His rival for the selection, Arthur Humphreys-Owen, had called Lloyd George "a second rate country attorney".

The MP for the Caernarvonshire county division of Arfon (William Rathbone) thought that Lloyd George's nomination would lead to the loss of the seat.

A number of possible local nominees (including the eventual candidate Hugh Ellis-Nanney) declined the chance to contest the seat.

Lloyd George issued an election address, on 24 March 1890, in which he supported the standard Gladstonian position on Irish Home Rule but devoted more space to Welsh grievances.

[5] As a campaign tactic, Conservative speakers contrasted the local focus of Ellis-Nanney, with the scale of Lloyd George's talents and national interests.