In 2023 Mr French finished 1443 votes behind sitting MP, Labour’s Ingrid Leary, in second place. Ms Leary is Labour’s nominee again, and the Greens are also fielding their 2023 candidate Scott Willis. Mr French, who formerly worked in hospitality, is now a branch manager of a will and trust provider. However, Mr French ran a strong campaign in 2023 and in an election which featured a strong swing to the right increased the National candidate vote by just over 7%. Since his loss in 2023 Mr French has remained active in southern National politics and was a regular at party events.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 10, 2026 16:05 UTC