Andrew Constance set to become Liberal party candidate in marginal Gilmore, after contenders withdraw – ABC News

Andrew Constance is set to become the Liberal Party candidate in the marginal seat of Gilmore on the New South WalesSouth Coast after three remaining candidates vying for pre-selection have pulled out of the race.

Four candidates, including the Bega MP and former New South Wales Transport Minister, had nominated for pre-selection.

But in an email to the Liberal party state executive, leaked to the ABC, Vincentia businesswoman Jemma Triberequested her nomination for pre-selection be withdrawn.

"Andrew Constance is an outstanding and experienced candidate who would be an incredible representative for our region," she wrote.

"I witnessed this at a recent public meeting regarding the Milton Ulladulla bypass, where I was extremely impressed by his engagement with the community."

Ms Tribe said she would instead seek election in the New South Wales seat of South Coast,being vacated by Shelley Hancock.

Sanctuary Point veteran Stephen Hayes also confirmed on Fridaymorning, he too would bebowing out of the race.

"Having examined the Section 44 constitutional issues in considerable detail with experienced legal advice I would not be able to unwind my business interests in a timely manner ahead of the forthcoming federal election," he said.

"Andrew Constance is an outstanding candidate."

"Andrew and I have agreed to work closely on raising awareness in the community and federally of the need to take a more robust approach to improving our national resilience," Mr Hayes said.

Their withdrawals comehours after Shoalhaven Heads lawyer Paul Ell confirmed in a statement thathe had withdrawn from the contest before a ballot would be held, after winning a seat on Shoalhaven Council.

The 31-year-old, who is also Gilmore's Federal Electoral Conference (FEC) president, had strong backing from local branch members.

On Thursday, he instead endorsed Mr Constance for the marginal seat and denied he had been pushed.

"Absolutely not. And I want to make that abundantly clear that this decision has been mine to make and mine alone," he said.

"It is critical that we have a strong representative for the federal seat of Gilmore.

"My judgement is that the best candidate to win Gilmore is my friend Andrew Constance.

Mr Constance has also received support from Prime MinisterScott Morrison, who previously said he would make a "good member of our team".

Mr Constance said no pressure had been applied to his contenders.

"I was very prepared to have a local preselection and I had been working hard at that for the past month and a half," he said.

"I'm not going to expend any more energy on internal party processes.

"Quite frankly our community have had a gut full of the nature of politics and ultimately we're going to get some great community outcomes and I'm going to be very focused on that."

This year, Gilmore's FEC was promised branch members would be given the opportunity to vote for the party's candidate, after Warren Mundine was controversially parachuted into the role in 2019.

Several party members resigned in the wake of the Prime Minister's decision.

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Andrew Constance set to become Liberal party candidate in marginal Gilmore, after contenders withdraw - ABC News