Election 2020: National's Todd McClay has been warned by Labour's Claire Mahon, says Kristin Macfarlane

Rotorua MP Todd McClay, left, with second-placed Labour candidate Claire Mahon. Photo / File

OPINION

If Rotorua's electorate results tell us anything it's that now is the time for Todd McClay to step up more so than he ever has before.

Never since he took hold of the Rotorua seat has he experienced such tight competition, with only 1253 votes between him and his closest rival, Labour candidate Claire Mahon.

That has got to be a bit of a wake-up call for McClay, whose smallest margin since standing for Rotorua was his first time in 2008 when he won the seat with a margin of around 5000 votes over Labour candidate Steve Chadwick.

Every election since then the National candidate secured a margin of more than 7000 votes over his closest competition - until now.

McClay won his fifth term as the Rotorua MP in the 2020 election on Saturday night with 14,283 votes. National, however, slumped when it came to party votes securing just 9638 party votes compared to Labour's 14,932.

Rotorua voters, it seems, like what they know and are used to but could be persuaded otherwise - making McClay's position as Rotorua's electorate representative slightly shook.

It's a bit of a warning message for McClay, letting him know to never get too comfortable no matter how long you've been in the job - and that's not a bad thing.

Anyone representing an electorate should be doing everything they can for their constituents and these latest results will no doubt add fuel to McClay's fire - he'll have something to prove this term.

If he doesn't, it's clear Labour will be lurking in the near background, working hard to try to minimise that margin come next election as they wait for their chance to pounce on his position.

No matter what, Rotorua as a whole seems to be in a good position when it comes to representation. Tamati Coffey is likely to get a spot as a list MP if he doesn't take the Waiariki seat once the special votes are counted - so let's hope our MPs do us right.