KEY POINTS:
National's Tauranga candidate, lawyer Simon Bridges, has taken his campaign to the streets, aiming to increase support in the lead-up to his battle with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters for the pivotal seat.
Mr Bridges and a group of supporters armed with signs waved to commuters from the corner of a main thoroughfare yesterday morning, just an hour before revelations that billionaire Owen Glenn gave a written statement to Parliament's privileges committee saying Mr Peters personally asked him for a $100,000 donation.
Mr Peters disagrees with Mr Glenn's version of events, but Mr Bridges' supporters were already predicting the demise of the veteran politician, saying Mr Bridges offered a much more exciting leadership prospect for Tauranga.
"He's young, intelligent, forward thinking - all the things Tauranga needs," retiree Malcolm Brightwell said. "It's definitely time for a change."
Said accountant Gail McIntosh: "Winston's done his dash and people showed that last time by voting with their feet [for National's Bob Clarkson]."
Dressed in National colours, with a navy suit and blue-and-white pinstriped shirt, Mr Bridges, 31, also appeared to have a healthy level of support from motorists, receiving several toots as they passed.
But support for Mr Peters - the city's MP for 21 years - was still evident from a few, including a man who leaned from his truck window yelling, "Go Winston", and another who did a two-fingered salute from a bus.
Not to be outdone, a supporter of Mr Bridges drove up in a blue Mercedes with a sign "Say no to Winston" in the rear window.
Mr Bridges said he had decided to hit the streets to raise his profile and remind people that an election was less than three months away.
"This three-month period has always been the official campaign period in the past," he said.
"The latest election date Miss Clark [Prime Minister Helen Clark] can hold on for is November 15."
Mr Bridges, who gave up his job as a Crown prosecutor to stand for National, said he was enjoying his new role and planned to get out on the streets with his supporters at least twice a week until the election.
