And so this is Friday afternoon and what have we learned, at this hour, from the voters?
First, the turnout. 78.2%. Last election it was 82.2%. Down it goes and right there you can see the air going out of the room for Labour, all that Jacinda appreciation that evaporated a little with each further lockdown, and then a whole lot. Can’t really go for Luxton. But I can’t go for you guys any more either. Just not going to vote.
Second, they clearly need Winston. The combined National and ACT seats come to 59, and even at 60 from Port Waikato, that doesn’t get them a majority. All hail the man we have so often and so readily deplored for being a blight on our politics, all hail Winston the handbrake, the confounder of a rampant Seymour leading a biddable Luxon by the nose. It may not play out that way at all. But that’s what I’m expecting.
