Defeated Auckland candidate John Palino says he knew nothing of Auckland Mayor Len Brown's sexual relationship with Bevan Chuang until details were published online.
In a statement the mayoral candidate said he has not sought to make political capital from the mayor's misery.
Mr Palino's response comes after claims Ms Chuang felt pressured to go public with the affair by a member of his electoral campaign.
Mr Brown has admitted to the two-year extra-marital affair and an inquiry into mayoral office spending is under way.
Mr Palino said he only met with Bevan Chuang after the election to discuss threatening text messages they had both received from the same number, and although she told him about what she said were 'persistent propositions' from the mayor, he did not know the full extent of the relationship.
In the statement he said he had no comment to make on Mr Brown's personal life.
