Christopher Luxon has started off his campaign to win Botany by single-handedly pissing off every single existing National caucus member, especially Todd Muller, who is seen as the wet team’s hope to replace the failing Simon Bridges.
But that win could still come hard for Luxon. Ross is fighting for his entire career, and has clear talent in sabotaging others. This could get dirty.
Yes, it is. It is going to be unbelievably dirty. Let’s hope he has tidied up his secret Ashley Madison profile and made sure that the taxi drivers of Auckland have nothing bad to say about his frequent custom.
One difficult thing that Luxon is going to have to explain himself about is his cosy relationship with Jacinda Ardern.
Local Botany delegates (58 out of 60) have already seen off hierarchy-approved star candidates, preferring local candidates and so having to select someone who is so wet he could have an ocean named after himself and also is chummy with the PM might be a step too far. His climate change nonsense and carry-on won’t get him very far in Botany. Neither will his forty-year absence from the area. The last time he lived near Botany there were green fields, dairy farms and the Howick Country Club in the middle of nowhere. All of those are gone along with any memory of his connection to the area. He will be seen as a carpet-bagger being parachuted in by a failed president working with Michelle Boag.
Christopher Luxon enters politics with a target on his back
He won’t just have a target on his back; there will be one on his forehead and on his chest.
The other surprise was the manner of the announcement: a story from the political editor of the top news show in the country. This is a privilege not available to all the other National Party hopefuls who will be looking to stand in Botany.
It was followed by an endorsement by Air NZ board member John Key, who said Luxon would be a “world-class candidate”.
Luxon may already be in breach of candidate selection rules which forbid candidates from speaking to the media. This has all the hallmarks of Boag to scare off other worthy candidates like local girl, re-elected Councillor Katrina Bungard and recently-elected Orakei local board member and cancer campaigner Troy Elliot. They will be displeased by the apparent rule–breaking of Luxon but, with Boag rumoured to be handling his campaign, they should get used to it.
The writer of this article is spot on. It is going to be DIRTY, unbelievably dirty.
Luxon might have thought this was a bright idea to stand for parliament but with a head like his he runs a real risk of being labelled the Uncle Fester of New Zealand politics. Especially if rumours are true that he is using Michelle Boag.
