Three in the race

The three men in line to replace Barnaby Joyce as Nationals leader include a gastroenterologist, a journalist and a rising star from the agriculture industry.

The meteoric rise of David Littleproud could continue, with the Maranoa MP tipped by some to challenge strongly for the leadership.

The 41-year-old Queenslander, who ran an agribusiness southwest of Brisbane, was only elected to parliament in 2016 and entered Cabinet as Agriculture Minister just two months ago.

His father, Brian Littleproud, was a long-time Queensland state MP and served as a minister.

Another challenger, Michael McCormack, was editor of the Daily

Advertiser in Wagga Wagga through the 1990s, before entering Parliament in 2010.

He has been touted as a potential leader, but suffered through a difficult interview on Sky News this week where he repeatedly refused to back his boss.

The Veterans Affairs Minister also didn’t rule out running for the leadership.

David Gillespie was a gastroenterologist for 20 years before he entered Parliament in 2013 as member for Lyne.

He was appointed Assistant Minister for Rural Health in 2016, before becoming Assistant Minister for Health, and now Assistant Minister for Children and Families.

Mr Joyce has declined to publicly back any successor.