Pull the other... string.

With 18 days till the buy-election, and voting papers in the sweaty palms of breathless, excited electors (enough trying to talk up the lack of excitement - Ed.) the Buy-Election Poll is showing a clear preference amongst LawsWatch visitors for Margaret Campion, who's on 42 percent.

In a healthy second place is Mark Simmonds, with Allan Anderson and Phillipa Baker-Hogan third equal. None of the other candidates seem to be exciting any interest whatsoever. The exact results (to approximately 2.45 pm today) are:

• Margaret Campion 42%
• Mark Simmonds 24%
• Allan Anderson 16%
• Philippa Baker-Hogan (Vision) 16%
• Rana Waitai 2%
• Chandra Osborne 0%
• Bren Sinclair 0%
• Heather Marion Smith 0%

When asked to become political pundits, however, Watchers seem to be backing their third choice candidate to actually win:

• Philippa Baker-Hogan (Vision) 47%
• Margaret Campion 28%
• Mark Simmonds 19%
• Rana Waitai 5%
• Allan Anderson 2%
• Chandra Osborne 0%
• Bren Sinclair 0%
• Heather Marion Smith 0%

Anderson's chances can't have been hurt by the appearance of his face on the top right corner of the River City Press - a prime position graced by the Diva's visage for the past few mouths. That space - and, some would argue, the entire paper - was bought for the next two years after LawsWatch was advertised right next to Dotty's Council Comment. And, all of a sudden, LawsWatch's advertising - paid for in cold hard cash - was no longer welcome.

So with a two year contract in place, what's Allan Anderson's head doing where the Diva's ought to be? Enquiries to the RCP seeking to book the same space were rebuffed - the Mayor has it for another year, the would-be advertiser was told.

It seems, however, that the normally well-organised and meticulously planned Diva had conveniently forgotten to pay his bill, thus rendering this prime bit of newspaper real estate vacant for the first three weeks of 2006, right in the middle of an election. And, coincidentally, Mr Anderson popped in with his copy at just the right moment. How terrifically fortuitous, and we congratulate Mr Anderson on his impeccable timing.

It's common knowledge that Mr Anderson has stated he's no great fan of the Diva. But what's not so widely known is that he was encouraged to stand by 'friends' of his in the Vision party. Does the Diva perhaps see Mr Anderson as someone likely to benefit from an anti-Laws / anti-Vision vote, but then able to be manipulated? We certainly hope not.

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