Country, National supporters back Simon Bridges over Judith Collins - poll

National leader Judith Collins leading their MPs into the press conference after their caucus meeting at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell

National MPs will likely have an awkward caucus meeting tomorrow after a poll showing leader Judith Collins has lost the support of both National voters and the country at large.

A Newshub-Reid Research poll asked whether Kiwi voters preferred Bridges or Collins to lead the National Party.

Bridges was backed by 40.7 per cent of voters, with Collins having the support of just 23.3 per cent - the remainder don't know.

National voters back Bridges, but by a much smaller margin.

Bridges had the support of 41.8 per cent of National voters, with Collins having the backing of 39.9 per cent.

A massive 18.3 per cent of National voters don't know who they would pick.

The same poll had National's party support on 26.9 per cent, with Labour at 42.7 per cent.

Bridges has long been suspected of mounting a coup to depose Collins as leader, possibly this year.

Bridges himself denies this, repeatedly telling Newshub it was not his "intention" to seek the leadership, although that does not mean Bridges would refuse it if other MPs thrust it upon him.

He did not rule out the possibility that he would become leader before Christmas.

"I've answered that," he told Newshub.

Collins has faced other recent polling challenges. Act leader David Seymour outpolls her as preferred Prime Minister in both public polls, as well as two major private polls.

Four polls published in the last fortnight have also had National polling in the 20s, far short of where it needs to be in order to be taken credibly.

Bridges himself told Herald politics podcast On the Tiles that the party needed to poll in the 30s for a shot at government.