Finance Minister Nicola Willis Abandons Electorate Bid, Commits to List-Only Campaign for 2026 Election
Nicola Willis, the National Party's deputy leader and current Finance Minister, will contest the 2026 election as a list-only candidate, ending her pursuit of an electorate seat after multiple unsuccessful attempts to secure parliamentary representation through direct electoral contest.
Willis holds the number two position on National's party list, a ranking that guarantees her parliamentary seat through proportional representation regardless of electorate performance. Her decision to abandon the electorate route comes after a pattern of electoral disappointment spanning nearly a decade. Since her first election contest in 2017, Willis has never successfully won an electorate seat, suffering defeats to Grant Robertson in Central Wellington in consecutive election cycles before losing her 2023 bid to unseat Greg O'Connor from the Ōhāriu electorate.
The timing of Willis's announcement aligns with significant electoral boundary changes affecting the Wellington region. The city loses one electorate in the 2026 redistribution, with Ōhāriu, Mana, and Ōtaki being replaced by two newly configured electorates—Kenepuru and Kapiti. Wellington Central has been renamed Wellington North, while Rongotai is now designated Wellington Bays.
Willis, who continues to manage the nation's finances as Finance Minister, remains a central figure in Christopher Luxon's National Government. Her commitment to the list-only route allows her to campaign nationally to support the party's reelection effort without the added burden of defending an individual electorate. The National Party Board has endorsed her decision and her continued candidacy.
The economic context frames Willis's campaign messaging, with the government emphasizing export performance records and the implementation of new planning systems. Her transition to list-only status represents a pragmatic shift in strategy, consolidating her political future through guaranteed parliamentary placement rather than the uncertain outcome of electorate-level competition.