Poll respondents are clearly thinking beyond Simon Bridges as National Party leader and potential Prime Minister, says 1 NEWS political editor Jessica Mutch McKay after outgoing Air New Zealand boss Christopher Luxon was named by some as preferred PM in the latest pol l.
He's not even a member of a political party and yet one per cent said they want Christopher Luxon as prime minister, in the 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton Poll released tonight.
Air New Zealand's chief executive announced last month he'll leave the airline in late September, saying he wanted to think more about how he could use his skills "whether that be in corporate life, politics or a not for profit". He later told TVNZ he identifies with the National Party, but is not a party member.
Meanwhile Ardern tops the preferred PM stakes while Bridges and Collins both sit on 6 per cent. (Source: Other)
Mutch McKay tonight pointed out that the poll doesn't give people a list of names but simply asks who they want to be prime minister.
"So it's very interesting that his name has come up. People are clearly thinking beyond Simon Bridges and gazing into the future of the National Party," she said.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is still well ahead as preferred PM in the poll, on 41 per cent, though that's a drop of four since our last poll.
Simon Bridges is wallowing on six per cent, up one from the last poll, and again Judith Collins is matching him on six per cent.
On the party vote, National is on 45 per cent, up one, while Labour is on 43, also up one.
Mutch McKay says with National on 45, Simon Bridges is safe.
"It's a big number and it buys him some time. But what is does show is people definitely don't like Simon Bridges. Despite that they still support the party though," she said.
Mutch McKay said the National Party seemed to "rebrand and reshift and pivot" at its conference over the weekend, "focusing much more on the party and less on Simon Bridges".
She said the poll was taken over five days to last Wednesday and so "the ra ra" of the party conference hasn't counted in these numbers.
SHARE ME