Lawrence Yule and Anna Lorck agree the race in Tukituki is tight, but in true political fashion don't have to look too far to disagree.
Lawrence Yule and Anna Lorck agree the race in Tukituki is tight, but in true political fashion don't have to look too far to disagree.
Napier and Tukituki - two key electorates that will be watched closely on Saturday.
In Napier, Labour's Stuart Nash is taking nothing for granted.
There are few things less attractive than an arrogant politician, but Nash has demonstrated humility and good grace toward National's Katie Nimon.
Napier could do worsethan end up with Nash as an elected MP with Nimon cutting her political teeth as a list MP.
Nimon's growth on the hustings has been impressive, and if she isn't successful, it would be harsh of National to not bring her back into the fold at the next election.
Nimon has potential within a party crying out for your fresh ideas but it's going to be tough against an incumbent that no one seems to be accusing of having done anything politically fatal this term.
In Tukituki it's a crowded field but there are two clear candidates who can win it - incumbent National MP Lawrence Yule and third time Labour candidate Anna Lorck.
Tukituki is a classic regional electorate - pockets of extraordinary wealth, as well as housing and poverty social issues.
Farmers devastated by the 2020 drought were dealt a double whammy with Covid-19.
No one begrudges the millions Labour has poured into the economy through the Covid-19 crisis but farmers could be forgiven for asking "where were you when we needed you during the drought?"
Voters have a tough choice - elect a rookie backbencher not afraid to ruffle feathers and polarise a few people along the way, from the party that the polls and pundits tell us will be in power?
Or give an opposition MP a second term in an historically Blue electorate that has been making noises about feeling unloved and under-represented.
Both candidates have cited economic recovery and health as issues in 2020.
Whoever is elected should saddle up for a bouncy ride around the water issue in the next term as its value as a commodity gets magnified in a region getting back on its economic feet.
Voters across all electorates will be interested in detail the next three years - not the bland broad brush 'vote for me' rhetoric that candidates from all parties tend to exhale pre-election.
