Deputy Nikki

New Deputy Leader Nikki Kaye is one of National’s most electable politicians.

She beat Jacinda twice in Auckland Central. There is no other MP who could have won that seat for National in 2008 and held it against Jacinda in 2011 and 2014. Jacinda went off to Mt Albert rather than risk losing to Nikki again in 2017.

Nikki has an enormous work ethic. As an electorate MP she is constantly fighting for her constituents. She takes special pride in her two islands – Waiheke and Great Barrier, and even fought the Auckland Council over keeping the recycling contract for Waiheke with a local company, even though that company was run by the husband of the Green MP trying to take the seat off her. She is hugely ethical.

The Muller/Kaye team is very well balanced in the best traditions of National being a broad church.

• Nikki is urban, Todd is rural
• Nikki is socially liberal, Todd is socially conservative
• Nikki is Generation Y and Todd is Generation X
• Nikki is of course female and Todd male

So the choice in September will be between Jacinda Ardern and Kelvin Davis vs Todd Muller and Nikki Kaye. The campaign will basically start next week.