Election 2020: All smiles on Jacinda Ardern's first day on the campaign trail

Jacinda Ardern poses with Maika Mo Kahurangi Bridgman-Cooper at the Grey Lynn farmers' market. Photo / Audrey Young

Jacinda Ardern had almost done her round of the boutique Grey Lynn farmers' market but there was one little girl yet to meet, Mo Bridgman-Cooper.

It was a special request because, as Mo's mother explained, Mo wants the Prime Minister to be her mother.

Mum, Mindy Pilbrow, of Pt Chevalier, was as amused by her daughter's wish as Ardern who happily posed with the girl.

Ardern is used to being preferred Prime Minister, but not preferred mother.

With a 2-year-old daughter of her own, Ardern seems particularly drawn to mothers with toddlers and they to her.

Jacinda Ardern arrives at the Grey Lynn market with friend and assistant Barbara Ward, left, and press secretary Clare-Louise Chapman, right. Photo / Dean Purcell

It was day one of Ardern's official campaign after Labour's launch in the Auckland Town Hall yesterday.

It will be one of the few days Ardern will get to spend campaigning in her own Mt Albert electorate which she safely holds with a 15,264 majority.

Ardern is no stranger to the market where organic breads, cakes, cheeses, plants, pickles, vegetables and coffee abound.

She was greeted at the steps by a couple of men, on the steps of the centre.

Jacinda Ardern talks with Teddy Ward Barclay, aged 2. Photo / Dean Purcell

"I've got two words to say to you," said one of them ... and it could have gone either way.

"Thank you," said Ken Stead, one of the custodians of the centre.

He and the community centre manager, David Williams, were extremely grateful for the wage subsidy which kept their jobs alive during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Ardern talked to the news media after the visit about the 1 News Colmar Brunton poll taken in the important Northland electorate.

Jacinda Ardern posing for pictures at the Grey Lynn market. Photo / Dean Purcell

It was significant for two things.

First it put National's MP Matt King so far ahead in the candidate vote that even Labour and New Zealand First combined would be hard pressed to beat him. That would make an already unlikely deal for Labour supporters to vote for New Zealand First's Shane Jones even more unlikely.

With New Zealand First's polling well short of the 5 per cent threshold, New Zealand First needs a seat to survive.

Jacinda Ardern goes vegetable shopping with media. Photo / Dean Purcell

The poll also suggested that Labour has stronger support on the party vote than National, 41 per cent to 38 per cent – and it is the all-important party vote that determines the overall makeup of Parliament.

It has happened before in Northland – but not since 2002 – when John Carter held the seat for National and a second term Labour Government polled better in the party vote than National.

There are six weeks to go until the election and four weeks to go until advance voting begins, which is time enough for things to go wrong for Labour.

But Ardern is likely to be more than happy with how the campaign has started.