The curtain may have fallen on the controversial political career of Brendan Horan who went from a high flyer in New Zealand First to an independent MP facing the massive task of keeping his seat in Parliament.
A subdued Mr Horan (pictured) told the Bay of Plenty Times yesterday that"politics in the Horan family is closed for the day".
His party, the New Zealand Independent Coalition, scarcely created a ripple in New Zealand's political order, with the former TV weatherman polling fifth in the Bay of Plenty electorate's candidate contest.
"It was a very resounding no from the people of the Bay of Plenty and New Zealand," he said.
The party drew 895 votes nationwide, with nearly a third of the votes coming from the five electorates in the Bay of Plenty. Mr Horan received 1153 votes.
Mr Horan was sure the coalition would continue but was non-committal about his own political future, saying he would be discussing it with his wife and family. "Politics is never easy on the people you love."
Asked why the party had failed in the election, he said: "I don't think that people were ready for the changes we were suggesting ... certain media commentators chose to belittle the message."
Quizzed about the impact his expulsion from the New Zealand First caucus had on the election result, Mr Horan replied: "You tell me".
He said he was not interested in commenting on the "disgusting and filthy lies" that led to his expulsion in December 2012.
"I am no longer public property, leave my family alone."
Mr Horan was expelled from the NZ First caucus after leader Winston Peters said he had seen information which left him with "no confidence in Mr Horan's ability to continue as a Member of Parliament".
The information related to allegations by Mr Horan's half-brother Mana Ormsby over money missing from his late mother's bank account.
Mr Horan always maintained he did nothing wrong and stayed in Parliament as an independent until the New Zealand Independent Coalition was formed for the general election.
