Tamaki Makaurau MP Pita Sharples is confident the Maori Party will retain the electorate after naming Rangi McLean to stand in the upcoming election.
Pita Sharples predicts Rangi McLean will retain the Maori Party's Tamaki Makaurau seat. Photo: RNZ / Rosemary Rangitauira
Members favoured Mr McLean, who is the Manurewa Marae chair, over his contenders, the party's Tamaki electorate co-chair, Bronwyn Yates, and Hato Petera college deputy principal Te Hira Paenga.
Dr Sharples, the Maori Party's former co-leader, has held the seat since 2005, and he predicted the other political parties will have a tough time trying to wrest the seat from his party.
He said Mr McLean was well-known in the electorate, and had spoken on all the marae in the electorate.
Dr Sharples said he did not care who the other parties stood in the electorate because the Maori Party had the electorate race sewn up.
Mr McLean said he was honoured to have won the support of the party's membership.
