Mike Butterick is the successful candidate for National to contest the Wairarapa seat held by Alastair Scott. The general election will be held on September 19 this year.
Although its Butterick's first time in the political arena, he is known as being not one to tilt at windmills. He was spokesman for 50 Shades of Green - a group that opposes offsetting carbon with pine forestry.
Coming from mid-Canterbury, he grew up in provincial New Zealand and was educated at St Andrew's College in Christchurch. He did a stint at mustering in the South Island before coming to the Wairarapa in 1990, where he worked on Wairere Stud and met his wife-to-be Rachel.
In 1993 Rachel joined the Police and was posted to Wairoa. Mike went up there as well, working up as far as Hicks Bay on the East Coast. He bought his first farm in January 1995 in Wairarapa and married Rachel in February that year. They now have four children.
"Rachel and family are my rock. I believe in work ethic and family values," Mike said. "I'm a product of provincial New Zealand and I've got an opportunity now to provide good outcomes for the people in my backyard.