KEY POINTS:
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters will stand for his cherished Tauranga electorate in the next election.
National's colourful Bob Clarkson, who took Tauranga from Mr Peters in the 2005 election, will now have to decide whether he wants a rematch.
It is understood Mr Peters decided late last week to stand in Tauranga next year.
He is keen to avenge his loss to the man tagged "Bob the Builder".
Mr Peters has been spending more time in the electorate in recent months, delivering speeches and appearing to be testing the waters for another shot.
NZ First is polling below the 5 per cent threshold for list representation and unless it can boost that figure, somebody will have to win an electorate seat to get the party back into Parliament.
Standing again in Tauranga - particularly in a rematch with Mr Clarkson - would give Mr Peters a lot of exposure in election year and could help boost the NZ First party vote.
The battle between Mr Peters and Mr Clarkson was one of the more colourful contests of the 2005 election.
It ended in an unsuccessful court challenge by Mr Peters against Mr Clarkson's campaign spending.
Mr Clarkson won the seat with a slender majority of 730.
Whether there is a rematch now depends on whether the National MP decides he wants another term in Parliament.
He has said he is unhappy there, but he has also said that if Mr Peters stands again, he is more likely to seek re-election.
