Waikato election 2023 results: Tim van de Molen retains rural seat

Waikato MP Tim van de Molen retains his seat.

Incumbent MP Tim van de Molen has retained his seat in the Waikato electorate.

As 99.1 per cent of the votes in the rural electorate are counted, van de Molen, with 22,692 is over 15,000 votes ahead of Labour’s Jamie Toko who received 7104 votes.

Van de Molen celebrated with around 35 supporters, friends and family at his home in Tamahere and said the mood was “very buoyant”.

“I’m really chuffed. We have a strong lead in the Waikato. It’s exciting to have another three years in Parliament, especially with National in Government.”

He said it might be “a bit early to call it”, but he was very positive. “We’re having a strong lead. I’m confident we will win Waikato.”

Van de Molen said it has been a “challenging 18 months” for him with the death of his sister, his accident, and “the most recent incident”.

What he described as an “incident” has cost him a ministerial position: Van de Molen was found to be in contempt of Parliament a couple of months ago and National leader Christopher Luxon then said he won’t be putting van de Molen in his first Cabinet.

However, van de Molen said he is not ruling a ministerial job out in the future saying there might be an opportunity for him to become in a “future reshuffle”.

“It’s not a no forever.”

He added that he knew his electorate well and was confident to continue to have “a strong level of influence” even without a ministerial post.

Van de Molen said he already had two items on his agenda for the Waikato electorate.

“The extention of the Waikato Expressway to Piarere and a Great Walk along the Kaimai ranges. I’m very keen to keep beating the drum on that.”

He said he wouldn’t be having too much of a late night celebrating: “I gotta be up to watch the All Blacks!”

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