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Kaikōura’s electorate is about as blue as it gets – the best tonic to combat the campaign blues.
“It’s absolutely the game,” Collins said.
But he’s saving a strong drink for after Election Day, sticking to non-alcoholic southern delights, and staying sharp, and he needs it. His deputies are pouring out. They haven’t seen the internal polls.
Former national leader Simon Bridges told The AM Show on Friday morning that he hadn’t seen any internal polls since MPs were back in Wellington.
“I haven’t done it since Parliament,” Bridges said.
But wait, that’s not what Collins told Newshub the day before.
“Well, actually, caucus business is a caucus business, and also all of our candidates get an update on how we’re voting,” he said Thursday.
Newshub asked Collins on Friday to explain himself.
“People have a candidate call in the morning,” he said.
Internal polls are the key barometer of the success or failure of a political party. You don’t show your MPs if you are losing. Bridges suffered greatly for keeping them a secret when their numbers plummeted.
When asked to respond to Bridges ‘comments on The AM Show, Collins said: “I don’t know what he said there, but I would say to him,’ He participates in campaign calls like all the other candidates.
Collins burns Bridges, but failed when Collins was asked if MPs were getting the actual voting numbers on those calls and not just the candidate updates.
“You know what? I’m not actually in the candidate calls and that’s because I’m focused on the economy,” she said.
Collins is determined to get back on the message, criticizing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for ignoring the Election Commission’s advice to delay the election until November 21.
“Well, it’s funny that Ms. Ardern takes the advice of officials when it suits her and not when it doesn’t,” Collins said.
The advice was discovered in a document dump related to COVID-19 on Friday.
“She chose the advice that obviously works for her,” Collins said.
Ardern said he sat down and met with the Election Commission about the date.
“Then they went back and reviewed some of their advice, which suggests that the date we have now was feasible,” he said Friday.
When asked if he had put the National Party at a disadvantage by holding the October 17 election, Collins said: “Well, I think he possibly has.”
Anyway, now it is too late; In exactly one week, the campaign ends and Election Day is a campaign-free zone.
“He could even be kicking up his feet and possibly washing,” Collins said.
It’s hardly the best reward for a grueling campaign. The ultimate reward is winning.
