National deputy leadership race: It's Bridges vs Bennett

UPDATE: Paula Bennett has become the second candidate to declare she will stand for deputy leader. Like Mr Bridges, she says she supports Bill English for leader. Mr Bridges has not endorsed either candidate.

The emergence of Tauranga MP Simon Bridges as a contender for the deputy role is a signal the National Party leadership race is taking on a clearer shape.

Mr Bridges announced he is supporting the current deputy leader, Bill English, for the leadership role and that he wants to be Mr English’s deputy.

Although the two are not formally running as a ticket, Mr Bridges says he has “a clear view that Bill English is emerging as the best leader by a long way.”

He is presenting himself as touching several political bases at once, most of which Mr English does not touch, and which also serve to counter other possible candidates for the deputy role.

“I grew up as a Westie,” he told a brief stand-up press conference at Parliament this afternoon, in a clear counter to an expected run by the National Party’s most prominent Westie, Paula Bennett, for the deputy job.

And although Mr Bridges is Tauranga-based, it gives the leadership an Auckland connection, which serves to counter any deputy hopes of leadership candidate and Northcote MP Jonathan Coleman.

The aspirational side is there too: all the way from West Auckland to Oxford University and a successful career as a barrister.

He spoke, in his maiden speech, of social and economic dysfunction growing up in Te Atatu North and the effect that has on families.

He also described himself as “economically dry and socially conservative but never unthinkingly or uncaringly so.”

That puts him closer to Mr English.

And, intriguingly, he paid tribute in his maiden speech to one of his predecessors as Tauranga MP – New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.

“I respect you, and I acknowledge that I learned a lot from you while we jousted on the campaign,” Mr Bridges said.

That willingness to give Mr Peters his due will have been remembered by the touchy and proud NZ First leader, who has an elephantine memory for such things.

If Mr Bridges gets the deputyship, that may serve him, and his party, well in the future.