Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce admits he's the underdog in the NSW seat of New England, but says he's up for the fight.
The latest Newspoll, published in The Australian, shows Mr Joyce has a two-point primary vote lead over former independent MP Tony Windsor, but Mr Windsor would win back the seat by 52 per cent to 48 per cent based on preference flows.
"This is going to be as I always thought an incredibly tough campaign. This will be a campaign where you can't experiment with your vote," Mr Joyce told reporters in Tamworth on Monday.
Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said Mr Joyce could point out that Mr Windsor had supported the Rudd-Gillard Labor governments, which "trashed the budget".
"I'm sure Barnaby will relish the opportunity to remind the people of New England of Tony's record," she told the Nine Network on Monday.
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Treasurer Scott Morrison said he was backing Mr Joyce a million per cent.
"Barnaby will be back as the member for New England," he told radio 2GB.
Mr Morrison said Mr Windsor was more driven by bitterness than a positive agenda.
