It will be fascinating to watch just how the Epsom electorate votes in the upcoming election. The right wing stronghold looks set to be even more interesting with John Banks' recent sentencing and Christine Rankin announcing that she will be standing for the crazy Conservative party in the wealthy electorate.
Today, the NZ Herald reported:
But Mr Key has already signalled that National voters in Epsom should give their electorate vote to Act Party candidate David Seymour.
On TVNZ's Breakfast show this morning, Mr Key said he was not concerned the Conservatives might take away some voters.
Key should be concerned, especially if he wants the Act party candidate David Seymour to win. Last election John Banks only won Epsom by a slim 6% majority over Paul Goldsmith, a National party candidate who was amazingly caught vandalizing his own billboards.
The largely unknown David Seymour is a far weaker candidate who is obviously being kept in the dark by his Act party seniors. Only a few weeks ago he was still claiming that there was no dirty deal being done with National to try and give Act the Epsom electorate. He was either lying or is completely ignorant!
If you need any further reasons as to why you shouldn't vote for Seymour, here's the awkward campaign video for the guy John Key wants in parliament:
Like it or not Rankin has a lot of weight with traditional voters in Epsom and although she won't win, could easily gain enough support to swing the balance. Another thing working in their favour is the Conservatives stealing Winston Peters’ thunder by campaigning against National selling farms to China.
Perhaps this is a bit of tit for tat because Key recently snubbed Colin Craig by refusing to do a deal for East Coast Bays. I guess the Conservatives are just too toxic for brand Key to touch.
Notwithstanding the medias effort to show all Epsom voters support the convicted fraudster John Banks getting a light sentence, another MP being found guilty of criminal activity has undoubtedly turned many Epsom voters off the Act party.
That could mean, despite his best efforts, Paul Goldsmith wins Epsom thus ensuring the Act party has no further presence in the halls of power. Clearly on 0.5% nobody in their right mind expects Act to meet the party threshold, making me wonder if Key is now kicking himself for not following the recommendation to lower it?
A three horse right wing race in Epsom would also mean National losing a lot more party votes to the Act and Conservative parties. When the election is coming down to the wire, these sorts of things can make all the difference.
The right wings infighting in Epsom can only be good for the left, who should hold their noses and tactically vote for Goldsmith. He might not want to win, but Epsom lefties should help him so that National no longer has their far right coalition partner in parliament to use as an excuse for passing socially and environmentally destructive policies.
