In the quiet contest for Hutt South, a seat that has changed hands before and may do so again, a rival politician's unexpected blessing has become a small test of what support is worth. Winston Peters chose to back Chris Bishop personally rather than his own party's ambitions, and the two sides now argue over whether such an alliance draws voters in or pushes them away. It is a reminder that in a close election, even a kind word can carry a weight that neither candidate fully controls.
Chris Bishop welcomes Winston Peters' surprise endorsement as Hutt South race tightens
"I take support from wherever it comes."
Mark
Why does an endorsement from Winston Peters matter in a seat where his own party has a candidate?
Mimi
Because he separated the two. He backed Bishop personally, not National, and NZ First's candidate Alistair Boyce is going after the party vote while also endorsing Bishop.
Mark
So Bishop gets help from a party that's technically competing for the seat.
Luke
Careful. Boyce is targeting the party vote, so he isn't really competing for the electorate. But the reporting doesn't tell us how much any of this moves voters.
Mimi
Right. Bishop said he didn't know it was coming, and that he takes support wherever it comes.
Mark
Andersen says it could hurt him. What's her argument?
Mimi
That Bishop is courting left-leaning voters, and that Peters' rhetoric toward migrant communities is disliked in the Hutt.
Luke
That's her claim, and she's his opponent. The article offers no evidence on how Hutt voters actually react to Peters.
Mark
What about the poll showing Andersen ahead 42 to 30?
Luke
One earlier poll, which Bishop called a junk robo-poll. It was commissioned by Victor Consulting, founded by a former Labour staffer. So treat it as contested, not settled.
Mimi
The tone of the debate was notably civil, though. Andersen brought coffee for the host and Bishop.
Luke
And neither would say how many doors they've knocked on. Bishop's claim rests on his party's own app.
Il Polso
- A surprise endorsement from Winston Peters lands in the battleground seat of Hutt South, catching Chris Bishop off guard during a live radio debate.
- Peters backs Bishop personally even though his own NZ First candidate, Alistair Boyce, is also in the race, muddying the party's position.
- Labour's Ginny Andersen warns that Peters' remarks about migrant communities could alienate the left-leaning voters Bishop is courting.
- Bishop brushes off the criticism, pointing to infrastructure progress and door-knocking numbers while calling an earlier poll a junk robo-poll.
- With Andersen reportedly ahead in one disputed poll and the endorsement cutting both ways, the seat is heading toward a razor-thin finish on election night.
In the quiet contest for Hutt South, a seat that has changed hands before and may do so again, a rival politician's unexpected blessing has become a small test of what support is worth. Winston Peters chose to back Chris Bishop personally rather than his own party's ambitions, and the two sides now argue over whether such an alliance draws voters in or pushes them away. It is a reminder that in a close election, even a kind word can carry a weight that neither candidate fully controls.
On a Newstalk ZB debate, host Nick Mills asked Chris Bishop what he thought of Winston Peters publicly backing him in Hutt South. Bishop said it was nice and that he had not known it was coming. Peters had called Bishop a cut above the regular MP, and stressed the praise was for Bishop himself, not for National. That matters because NZ First is fielding its own candidate in the seat, Alistair Boyce, who has also endorsed Bishop.
Bishop said he takes support wherever it comes from. Labour's Ginny Andersen was less pleased. She argued the endorsement probably won Bishop no favours with the left-leaning voters he is trying to win, and said Peters' rhetoric about migrant communities is felt in the Hutt and that people there reject it. The debate was civil, even warm. Andersen had brought coffee, and Bishop admitted he had a headache before going on air.
On substance, Bishop pointed to the Melling and Riverlink projects, the new Te Ara Tupua shared path, hospital and school upgrades, and new trains. Andersen offered hope, saying Hutt Valley people deserve to see a future for their families there and that they do not have that now. Both have been door-knocking, and each claims a strong effort. An earlier poll had Andersen ahead 42% to 30%, which Bishop dismissed as a junk robo-poll. With the poll disputed and the endorsement double-edged, Hutt South remains one of the tightest races to watch.
On a Newstalk ZB debate today, host Nick Mills put a question to Chris Bishop that the senior National MP had not seen coming: what did he make of Winston Peters publicly backing him in the Hutt South race? Bishop's answer was plain. He thought it was nice, he said, and he had not known Peters was going to do it.
Peters' remark was a rare one for him. He said that Bishop, and he acknowledged it was unusual for him to say so, is a cut above the regular MP. Peters stressed that this was an endorsement of Bishop himself, not of National. That distinction matters here, because New Zealand First is running its own candidate in the seat: Alistair Boyce, who owns the Backbencher Pub. Boyce is targeting the party vote, and he has also endorsed Bishop.
Bishop took the endorsement in stride. He said he takes support from wherever it comes, and that if Peters wants to encourage people to vote for him, he is happy to have it.
His opponent, Labour's Ginny Andersen, saw it differently. She said she knows Bishop has a strategy of trying to win over people on the left in order to take Hutt South, and that an endorsement from Peters probably does not help with that. She went further, saying Peters has been openly racist toward members of migrant communities, that this is felt in the Hutt, and that people there do not like that kind of divisive rhetoric. She questioned whether being closely associated with it is helpful.
The exchange itself was largely civil. Andersen opened it by bringing in coffee for Bishop and Mills. Mills described the result as no arguing and no bickering, just healthy debate with kindness and respect, and noted that Bishop had told him he was suffering a headache before going on air.
On substance, Bishop pointed to infrastructure progress: the Melling and Riverlink projects are underway, the Te Ara Tupua shared path has opened, hospitals and schools are being upgraded, and new trains are coming for the rail network. Andersen's pitch was about hope. She said the people of the Hutt deserve to see a future for themselves and their children in the Hutt Valley, and that right now they do not have that. We can do better than we are doing now, she said.
Both candidates have been door-knocking to firm up support. Neither would tell Mills how many doors they had knocked on. Andersen said she started at the beginning of the year, while Bishop said he has knocked on more doors than any other National MP this election, according to the party's outreach app.
The seat has swung before. Bishop first won the traditionally Labour electorate in 2017, lost it to Andersen in 2020, and won it back at the last election. An earlier poll of the electorate put Andersen on 42% and Bishop on 30%. Bishop dismissed it as a junk robo-poll done by a former Labour hack. It was commissioned by Victor Consulting, a company founded by former Labour staffer Clint Smith.
With the poll disputed and the endorsement double-edged, Hutt South remains one of the tightest contests to watch on election night.
Citazioni salienti
I take support from wherever it comes. If Mr Peters wants to encourage people to vote for me then I'm happy to have his endorsement.— Chris Bishop, National MP
Peters' endorsement probably doesn't help Bishop's strategy of attracting left-leaning voters, given Peters' rhetoric toward migrant communities.— Ginny Andersen, Labour candidate (paraphrased)
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