PM’s election call catches rival parties on the hop
it will have to campaign with Jeremy Corbyn whose own ratings are falling through the floor, as leader.
The odds that it can roll back large Conservative majorities in what has reverted to true blue Kent are pretty long.
As for Ukip, the party that arguably did most to secure Brexit, in-fighting, defections and public rows have conspired to make it appear as divided as Labour.
It has viewed Kent as a stronghold but its ex-leader Nigel Farage failed to become South Thanet MP in 2015.
He may not have the appetite for a re-run in a seat which saw an attritional battle that ended in a bruising defeat.
The party could lose ground at the county council election – where it took everyone by surprise in 2013 – leaving it with little impetus for the national poll just one month later.
The Liberal Democrats have some modest grounds for optimism.
They have presented themselves as the party for pro-European voters and secured some impressive council by-election gains since its low point in 2015.
In Kent, it could gain some momentum if it performs well in the county council election but is still recovering from a very low base. An increased share of the vote is certain but can that translate into seats? Watch for an interesting contest in Maidstone and the Weald.
Theresa May has gambled that the British voters will give her the endorsement she says she needs to get the best deal for the UK from leaving the EU.
On paper, it is hard to see beyond the Conservatives tightening its grip on the county and successfully defending all its seats but one thing politics has taught us in recent years is to expect the unexpected.
It will be in the back of Conservative minds right up until June 8.