Shell-shocked National MPs have made their way to Wellington today for an emergency caucus meeting tonight to begin the process of replacing Todd Muller as leader.
Muller, the Bay of Plenty MP, had been in the job for just 53 days before calling it quits at 7.30am today.
"The role has taken a heavy toll on me personally, and on my family, and this has become untenable from a health perspective," Muller said in a statement.
National's senior whip Barbara Kuriger said she did not know if Muller would be in Wellington for tonight's emergency caucus meeting.
Her comments were near-identical to remarks she made earlier today.
National MP Mark Mitchell - who has been mooted as a potential leadership hopeful - told media outside Parliament his thoughts were with Muller and his family who are going through an extremely difficult time.
He would not be drawn as to whether he would run for the top job - "caucus is going to follow a process".
He said he couldn't say whether caucus will make a decision tonight.
"There may be an outcome tonight, there may be one tomorrow - we will have to wait and see."
He would also not be drawn on what was said on the caucus call this morning.
Speaking to reporters at Wellington airport, Paula Bennett – who announced she would not be contesting the election earlier this month – would only say the caucus has a "big decision to make".
She said she had "no comment to make about anything," when repeatedly questioned on today's developments and what will happen tonight.
But she did say: "These are just difficult times for the party and the caucus – so we are just going to work our way through that, respectfully."
Fellow National MP Michael Woodhouse wouldn't be drawn on whether New Zealand could see a return of Simon Bridges as leader of the National Party.
He said he hadn't spoken to Muller - but when asked if he'd spoken to Bridges he said "I've spoken to a number of colleagues but I just want to let the process go".
Woodhouse said he was "very concerned" for Muller and his family.
He said he "wasn't going to speculate" on whether the fact he also received private Covid patient data from former party president Michelle Boag had played a part in Muller's resignation.
"Let's just get through these couple of days first," Woodhouse told reporters.
Invercargill MP Sarah Dowie said she believed it had been the wrong call ousting Bridges.
"I voted for Simon," she said. But she wouldn't be drawn on whether she'd spoken to Bridges today.
When asked why New Zealanders should still have confidence in National, Dowie said: "We'll get ourselves together really quickly and we're the best economic managers for the country."
Dowie said "we'll wait to see what the will of the caucus is" when asked if she'd like to see a decision this evening.
Former leader Simon Bridges has consoled Muller and described the job as a "very tough role".
"My thoughts are with Todd Muller & his family. Opposition Leader is a very tough role & I wish Todd and his family the best for the future," Bridges wrote on Twitter.
The tweet was silent on whether he would contest the now vacant leadership.
My thoughts are with Todd Muller & his family. Opposition Leader is a very tough role & I wish Todd and his family the best for the future.
Asked if that meant Nikki Kaye's position as deputy leader was in question, he said that would be discussed at tonight's caucus meeting.
He would not say who he would like to be leader.
He said this process had been "untidy".
"With the change in leadership this close to the election, that's where we need to refocus now and our priority now is on getting that clear message with a new leadership."
Jacinda Ardern replaced Andrew Little as leader of the Labour Party a mere 53 days before the 2017 election and led the party to victory.
Joyce said it was important for New Zealand that they get it right.
National had a "range of options" for a new leader.
But he would not be drawn on who he thought was the best fit for the top job.
"The most important thing is they get behind one person and they make sure they do that all the way through to the election," he said.
"I would recommend to them [caucus] that they all come together behind one individual, whoever that individual is, and make sure they back them fully with the right team."
"There is no doubt that this is a challenging time for the National Party, with the resignation of Todd Muller earlier this morning.
"Being leader of the opposition is one of the hardest jobs in politics and Todd undertook the role with dignity, humility, and respect.
"On behalf of the National Party board of directors I want to thank Todd for his service as leader of our party. The health and wellbeing of our people is paramount in everything we do, and we wish Todd, his wife Michelle, and their children well.
"We will be working to elect a new leader as quickly as possible, to steer our Party through the upcoming election."
MP suggests new leader could be selected tonight
Speaking to media at Wellington airport, National MP Matt Doocey said that Muller was a "good mate" of his and he "backed him 100 per cent".
"I'm hugely disappointed for Todd - he's a good bugger."
Doocey would not answer questions as to who he was backing as the new leader.
Asked who was the best person for the job, Doocey said: "You will find that out tonight".
There has so far been no confirmation that a vote will occur tonight, only that National MPs will be meeting.
But he said National would be "staying focused".
Arriving earlier in Wellington veteran MP Nick Smith said that today was a "difficult day for the National Party, but we will get through these difficult times".
New Plymouth MP Jonathan Young said today would be a "very important time for us to consider things" and that National was a "good team" but it had been a "pretty tough week".
It now falls to National's MPs to again select a leader who will lead the bruised party though to election day.
There has already been an emergency call this morning as National MPs attempt to piece together the unfolding events.
But the caucus will meet in person tonight between 7pm and 7.30pm – that meeting will be chaired by deputy leader and now acting leader Nikki Kaye.
A spokesperson for National said they don't know whether or not there will be a leadership vote tonight.
After the meeting, National will release a statement and there will be a media stand-up in Parliament where more details of the meeting will be shared.
But at this stage, there is only speculation as to who might take over.
The likely contenders – Judith Collins, Mark Mitchell and Simon Bridges – have all gone to ground, not responding to the Herald's request for comment.
There had been radio silence from all National MPs for most of the morning.
That is, apart from senior whip Barbara Kuriger who confirmed the caucus would meet tonight to "discuss the way forward".
There will be no more official comment from the party until after the meeting, Kuriger said, but MPs will be door-stopped for comment on their way into Parliament and at airports all day.
But MPs are now beginning to land in Wellington airport.
Young said he had "no idea" when the new leader will be announced.
This comes after Muller, and the National party, has come under intense scrutiny after disgraced National MP Hamish Walker leaked confidential Covid-19 patient information to media.
Although he said he did it to expose weaknesses within the Government's data management processes, the Herald revealed Walker did it in an attempt to prove comments he made in a rogue press release were not racist.
My sympathy to Todd Muller and his family. I regard Todd as a decent man and know the pressures he faced in his previous role. Wish him well for the future.
Muller stripped Walker of his portfolios before writing to the party's board to ask it to strip the Clutha-Southland candidate of his membership.
After former party president Michelle Boag revealed herself as the person who leaked the information to Walker, the first-term MP announced his resignation.
But Muller still came under intense pressure to front up over who knew what and when.
The party's health spokesman Michael Woodhouse revealed he had also received the information from Boag, but did not use it.
After a week of being on the back foot and facing intense pressure, Muller began to step away from media appearances.
A spokesperson told Newstalk ZB that Muller was not available for an interview at the end of last week because he needed a "cup of tea and a lie-down".
Days later, he refused to appear on Q&A and instead sent his deputy Nikki Kaye. And Muller also did not attend National's northern regional conference over the weekend.