Economics professor Andrew Leigh and businesswoman Gai Brodtmann have taken the spoils in two hotly contested Labor preselection battles in the ACT.
Labor holds the seats of Canberra and Fraser by comfortable margins, ensuring a hard fought battle for preselection on Saturday.
The seats opened up following the retirements of sitting MPs Annette Ellis and former Keating minister Bob McMullan, who both indicated they would step down at the next election.
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Canberra was the closest call, with Ms Brodtmann securing just four more primary votes than government adviser Mary Wood before the final distribution gave her a 123 to 109 advantage.
In Fraser, Mr Leigh, a professor at Canberra's Australian National University, had barely more than half the primary votes Nick Martin had accrued.
Mr Martin, Labor's assistant national secretary, was considered a frontrunner in a campaign marred by factional infighting.
But in an eight-horse race, the independents gave Mr Leigh a winning boost by sending their preferences his way, securing the 37-year-old's win by 144 votes to 96.
Mr Leigh said he felt extraordinarily lucky and humbled by the support.
He paid tribute to his fellow candidates, saying it was terrific battle, fought on "a discussion of big ideas about the future of Australia and what we want to achieve for the country".
is research lies in poverty and disadvantage.
Brodtman married to ABC journalist
Ms Brodtmann, who runs a communications consultancy business in Canberra with her husband, ABC political journalist Chris Uhlmann, was equally humbled by the victory.
"I'm exhausted and I'm really excited," she told AAP, attributing the win to her experience across politics, the local community and the public service.
The 46-year-old, a former government adviser to Mr McMullen, also sits on the board of a Canberra-based health charity.
Neither she nor Mr Leigh are taking the road to federal politics for granted.
Canberra is held by an 11.8 per cent margin and Fraser by 15.1 per cent.
"There's a lot of hard work ahead," Ms Brodtmann said.
She has lived in Canberra for the past 20 years, while Sydney-born Mr Leigh moved there in 1997 to work as an associate for former High Court judge Michael Kirby.
He has the rare delight of having his wife, an American who will be made an Australian citizen in June, vote for him in her first Australian election - or at least he hopes.
"Well I hope I get her vote, I won't count on it," he said with a laugh.
Mr McMullan and Ms Ellis, who have repeatedly doused rumours they were pushed to make way for new blood, have both endorsed the new candidates.
