Stunned businessman quits Auckland mayoral race
Controversial businessman Leo Molloy says he will be back for another tilt at the Auckland mayoralty in 2025.
In a press conference yesterday, Molloy blamed several factors for his 11th-hour decision to drop out of the mayoral race.
But he also warned he’d be back. “I’ve not died, I’ll run again in 2025.”
Molloy bowed out a few hours before the noon cut-off, at which time candidates can no longer enter or pull out of the race.
The publican said a poll released on Thursday night wasn’t as attractive as earlier polls.
He said if he had left his name in the ring, he might have been “orchestrating a result” for the left.
The brash hospitality figure, who had defined his campaign by personal attacks on his rivals and a provocative and unrelenting social media presence, had dropped substantially in the polls from a showing of 23 per cent of the vote last month.
Molloy said he was mortified when he saw the result. “We just didn’t see it coming.”
He said frontrunner Efeso Collins was the most “reckless and irresponsible” of all the candidates.
Meanwhile, he also indicated he regretted an ill-fated television interview with Guy Williams.
“I wouldn’t do Guy Williams again. Nothing against Guy.”
Molloy said three years goes by in a flash and it was highly likely he would be back on the radar again.
He said cash was also a factor and had spent a considerable amount of money.
Earlier Molloy told the NZ
Herald: “Some aspects of my polling are still strong, however there are clear trends emerging that suggest I cannot win — this time.
“I won’t be endorsing another mayoral candidate just yet, but I may do so once I scrutinise their policies in more detail.”
It was unclear if Molloy officially indicated to council authorities he was pulling out of the race, and thereby would not be on the ballots.
“I’m deciding to withdraw immediately and, in doing so, potentially help other candidates — who won’t do as good a job as I would have — but at least will be better than the dispiriting status quo we’ve had under Phil Goff and this Labour mayoralty.”
Molloy’s decision came shortly after the latest Ratepayers’ Alliance-curia poll showed he had dropped to third place behind businessman Wayne Brown.
Brown is sitting on 18.6 per cent support in the latest poll — still behind frontrunner Collins on 22.3 per cent.
But Collins had still dipped in this latest poll of 500 Aucklanders — a five-point drop from last month’s poll.
Other candidates are Viv Beck on 12.5 per cent and Craig Lord on 7.2 per cent.