Napier MP Stuart Nash was bankrolled to the tune of $4000 a month by political backers for more than a year leading up to last year's general election.
The Labour candidate's $99,000 in candidate donations meant he was the second highest-funded candidate in the country behind Te Tai Tokerau candidate Hone Harawira, who contested the northern Maori seat using $105,000 from Kim Dotcom and his Internet Party.
Mr Nash's fundraising prowess delivered him more than three times that raised by the next highest-earning Labour Party candidate.
The bulk of candidate returns were made public early last week, but Mr Nash's was delayed for processing and only recently was put online by the Electoral Commission.
The returns showed Mr Nash received $36,000 from Caniwi Capital Partners and $31,000 from Andrew "Ned" Kelly, mostly paid in monthly instalments dating from June 2013. He also received $5000 from rich-lister Sir Robert Jones, $9000 from Parnell accountant Lynch Phibbs and $18,000 from various branches of the Labour Party.