Queensland senator Barnaby Joyce has been preselected as the Nationals candidate for the seat of New England, setting up a battle with independent MP Tony Windsor and potentially paving the way for Senator Joyce to become deputy prime minister.
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Senator Joyce won the preselection vote on Saturday in Tamworth, beating the only other candidate, local teacher and businessman, David Gregory.
He now takes on Mr Windsor, who has held the regional New South Wales seat since 2001. The independent MP holds the New England with a margin of 21.5 per cent after the 2010 election. But polling has indicated Mr Windsor's lead has slipped in the wake of his decision to back Labor into minority government.
Senator Joyce says he expects the looming battle against Mr Windsor to be ''extremely tough''.
''I wouldn't go on a suicide mission but Mr Windsor as a key Gillard lieutenant has to stand beside the Green-Labor-Independent alliance and say this government has done a good thing,'' Mr Joyce said.
He said he did not believe that currently living outside the electorate, and the state, would be a major issue in the campaign.
''I was born in Tamworth, my wife was born in Tamworth, my four children were born in Tamworth... the Joyce family has a house still in the electorate,'' he said.
Mr Joyce, who is the Coalition's spokesman for regional development, local government and water, is also the Nationals leader in the Senate.
He has made no secret of his ambition to one day be leader of the Nationals - and become deputy prime minister in a Coalition government - but has insisted he would not challenge current leader, Warren Truss.
The Nationals spot in New England was vacated last month, when former candidate and former state MP Richard Torbay was dramatically dumped by the party. Allegations concerning him were then referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Mr Winsdor has labelled Senator Joyce ''second choice Joyce'' and says he does not think the Queenslander has ''anything to do with New England.''
Mr Joyce currently lives in the western Queensland town of St George. Last year he unsuccessfully eyed off preselection closer to where he lives, in the Queensland seat of Maranoa.
In order to contest New England, Senator Joyce must resign his senate spot by August 12 - the day the writs are issued for the September 14 election.
