Whanganui MP Chester Borrows has vowed to quit politics if he does not retain his seat at this year's general election.
On Sunday, the National Party announced its party list with Courts Minister Mr Borrows at number 22 - a position which means he is likely to be back in Parliament even if he is beaten for the Whanganui seat by Labour rival Hamish McDouall.
However, Mr Borrows - who won the seat in 2005 and had a 5000 majority over Mr McDouall three years ago - said he would quit Parliament if he did not win in Whanganui.
"If I get rejected by Whanganui, which has supported me strongly for three terms, I would look for another job and leave Parliament," said Mr Borrows, ranked number 32 on the National party list last election.
He had given an undertaking to his party to go on the list but he wouldn't be there long if rejected by the voters.
If he wasn't re-elected, he would take it as a "pretty strong message" from Whanganui voters.
Mr Borrows' vow prompted Mr McDouall to dare him to remove his name from National's party list.
The Labour candidate remained sceptical, though, and said Mr Borrows had said the same thing last election.
"I dare him to remove himself from the list," said Mr McDouall, who ranked 41 on Labour's party list.
He'd seen people on social media saying they could get "two MPs for the price of one" by voting in Mr McDouall, as Mr Borrows was already high up the list, but he said that was not his agenda.
"It's pretty clear I'm going for ticks in both areas."
Mr Borrows said he was on the list because he was backing his party and they decided as a caucus they would all be on the list. If he wasn't voted in, he would take up his list seat but would look for another job.