March 30, 2015
Prime name recognition boosted
Winston Peters may have emerged the winner of Saturday’s Northland by-election, but the third-placed candidate also has reason to smile.
Willow Jean Prime polled just 1315 votes … 7654 fewer than in the general election – as Labour supporters voted strategically.
Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis says when it became clear its candidate could not win, Labour switched to working for a National Party loss.
" We wanted Willow Jean to get out there amongst the people of Northland talking about the issues that matter, raising her profile and getting name recognition out and about. And that certainly happened, especially when you have the prime minister and senior ministers shouting her name out across the house at us. What they didn't realise is that they were just promoting her more and more and more and I couldn't believe Willow Jeans luck when they were doing that " he says.
Kelvin Davis says National’s campaign was a shambles, and it seemed to think its candidate Mark Osborne would have an easy duckwalk to victory.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH KELVIN DAVIS CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=Mjc2NjI=
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