Election 2026: Paul Goldsmith rules out switch from Epsom to Kaipara ki Mahurangi seat after Chris Penk exit
Senior National Party list MP Paul Goldsmith has ruled out running in sacked minister Chris Penk’s electorate to ensure a return to Parliament, after signalling interest earlier today.
Penk announced on Wednesday that he would not run again in the electorate of Kaipara ki Mahurangi, after being dropped from Cabinet by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon for allegedly launching a leadership challenge.
Goldsmith picked up most of Penk’s ministerial portfolios and earlier appeared to be eyeing a run in his electorate, telling Jack Tame on TVNZ’s Q&A it is a “beautiful seat”.
“A couple of people have suggested it to me and I’m thinking about it,” Goldsmith said when asked if he has had any conversations about running in the electorate.
But then he ruled it out in a video update shared to Facebook this evening, saying he had “inadvertently put off a lot of speculation”.
“It is a beautiful seat. But I am standing in Epsom. It’s my home. I’ve campaigned there for 15 years,” he said.
“This year, if you support National, we’re asking not just for your party vote, but also the constituency vote, because I want to win Epsom and I want to continue to serve the community.
“And most importantly, I want to keep campaigning on fixing the basics and building a great future for all New Zealanders.”
Goldsmith has contested Epsom each election since 2011.
He has never aggressively campaigned for the seat, which is solidly held by Act leader David Seymour.
Current polling suggests the National Party may only bring in a very limited number of list MPs, and being elected in Kaipara ki Mahurangi would have insulated Goldsmith from the danger of relying on the party list to enter Parliament.
Goldsmith rejected Tame’s suggestion he may not return to Parliament on the list, saying “yes, I will, we’re going to do well”.
He said he was considering a switch but would have to make a decision within the next few days, but said he would “most likely stay where I am”.
Formerly called Helensville, the electorate boundaries were redrawn for the 2020 general election.
It has always been held by the National Party, and was held by former Prime Minister Sir John Key for his whole political career from 2002 to 2017.
Speculation Goldsmith may run in the seat first came from Labour’s Willie Jackson when appearing alongside the Justice Minister on a Herald NOW panel this week.
“They have got a vacancy ... they will shift Goldie there. Why wouldn’t they? He is not going to get in off the list, is he?” Jackson said on Ryan Bridge TODAY.
Goldsmith responded by saying he had a “feeling I’m going to win Epsom this time around”.
Goldsmith this week picked up Penk’s Defence, Veterans, Space, GCSB and NZSIS ministerial portfolios, on top of his Justice, Media and Communications, Pacific Peoples, Public Service and Digitising Government, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations and Arts, Culture, and Heritage portfolios.
The National Party’s frantic week started after a Herald story reported on discontent within the caucus and a potential Chris Bishop or Erica Stanford challenge for the leadership.
That led to Luxon calling an emergency caucus meeting on Wednesday, with the PM later confirming Penk’s challenge prompted the confidence vote, which Luxon won.
Penk announced on Wednesday night he won’t seek re-election after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stripped him of all of his portfolios, outing him as the person who launched a challenge for the National leadership.
Asked by Tame whether Penk was acting alone or doing the numbers for another potential leadership contender, Goldsmith first said “I don’t know” before changing tack to say that to the best of his knowledge, Penk was indeed acting alone.