THE NATIONALS are expected to keep Kevin Anderson as its Tamworth candidate for next year’s state election.
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The Tamworth branch of the party hasn’t set down a date for pre-selection, but chairman Ian Coxhead told The Leader Kevin Anderson has indicated he will nominate for the seat.
“I hope he does,” Mr Coxhead said.
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“It’s a decision for the branch to make whether he is pre-selected.
“Personally, I expect he would be accepted.”
Mr Coxhead said there weren’t any plans to hold a community vote for pre-selection, as the party has done in the past and recently in the seat of Lismore.
The party already has its sights on some competitors who could vie for the seat.
“We know that the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers are sitting there and looking very closely at fielding a candidate,” Mr Coxhead said.
“We’re not sure about The Greens and, undoubtedly, a few independents will throw their hat in the ring.
“It shows it is a very important seat, and whilst we have a very good state candidate who’s been in the job for eight years, he’s become a very seasoned politician, whose doing a great job.”
The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party is gunning for a number of regional NSW seats in the elections having reeled-in it first lower house spot when it snatched Orange from the Nationals.
The party has already announced candidates for Barwon and Northern Tablelands.
The NSW election will be held on March 23, 2019.
Mr Anderson first won the seat in 2011 after defeating incumbent Independent MP Peter Draper.
He first tried to wrest the electorate from Mr Draper in 2007.
The Tamworth branch will hold its annual general meeting on Wednesday, however pre-selection won’t be on the agenda.
The branch was thrown into a spin on the weekend as members spoke-out anonymously and called for New England MP Barnaby Joyce to stand aside.