Two months after quitting the Senate for a tilt at state politics, Nick Xenophon's new SA Best party is outpolling the government and the opposition in South Australia.
SA Best has 32 per cent of the primary vote, a poll published in The Australian on Tuesday shows.
This compared to 29 per cent for the Liberal opposition with the Labor government trailing on 27 per cent.
Asked who would be the better premier, 46 per cent of voters said Mr Xenophon.
Only 22 per cent plumped for incumbent Jay Weatherill, while Opposition Leader Steven Marshall lagged on 19 per cent.
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Mr Xenophon said the result showed South Australians wanted change.
"I think what it does show is people are sick of the broken state of South Australian politics," Mr Xenophon told ABC radio on Tuesday.
"A fledging party with a fraction of the resources is doing this well in the polls indicates people do want change."
Mr Xenophon says his party is likely to announce more candidates this week with the aim to have 20.
His stated objective at the March election is to hold the balance of power in parliament's 47-seat lower house.
Mr Xenophon quit the Senate in October to return to state politics and will stand in his local seat of Hartley.
The poll of 800 people was taken between October 12 and December 17.
