In a riveting electoral display, Labour MP Helen White secured a tightly contested victory in Mt Albert, prevailing by a slim margin of merely 106 votes. Celebrating her hard-fought conquest of the traditionally Labour-stronghold, she expressed satisfaction over her performance and acknowledged the difficult odds her party had overcome.
Often associated with esteemed political figures, the Mt Albert seat has seen the likes of former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern, who clinched an enormous majority of 21,246 votes, as well as Helen Clark and Michael Joseph Savage. Proclaiming this victory, White noted the considerable 9997 votes she had garnered, surpassing her National adversary, Melissa Lee’s, 9891 votes. She highlighted that despite the narrow steer, Labour had upheld its uninterrupted reign since the seat’s establishment in 1946 in the West Auckland electorate.
Engaging with the press, a defiant White dismissed any allegations of underperformance, arguing the statistics presented an evident symbol of her valiant effort. She further attributed the unexpectedly taxing duel to a divided left vote, resulting from Green Party contender Ricardo Menendez March’s aggressive campaign that secured him 6012 votes. The amalgamation of these figures boosted the left bloc’s total to a formidable 16,009 votes.
White further noted the inevitable fluctuations in party votes while voicing her pride in her team’s achievements. As the canvassed election data revealed, the Labour MP confidently asserted the success of their campaign.
In the backdrop of the election’s tumultuous events in Auckland, White considered her plight relatively favorable. Citing her colleagues’ unexpected setbacks in previously safe seats, she noted the suffocating wave of blue that had engulfed traditionally Labour-held electorates such as Mt Roskill had reeled them away to National.
Following the preliminary vote count, Mt Roskill was captured by National’s Carlos Cheung while another Labour bastion in Maungakiekie fell to National’s contender Greg Fleming. Furthermore, National’s Paulo Garcia and Angee Nicholas were leading in New Lynn and Te Atatū respectively.
However, the blue surge witnessed a jarring interruption with the loss of Tāmaki for the first time since 1957 – a seat previously occupied by the socially conservative Simon O’Connor. The incumbent was vanquished by Act deputy leader Brooke Van Velden, marking Act’s second victory in the Auckland region. Preliminary statistics showed Van Velden securing an impressive 14,947 votes as opposed to O’Connor’s 10,372.
