NORTH East Liberals are “in a bind” over who to support in the party’s pre-selection for Indi, following a campaign letter from Sophie Mirabella.

Conservative politicians and party members were yesterday reluctant to comment on Mrs Mirabella’s chances of winning next Sunday’s pre-selection contest in Benalla.

The Border Mail reported yesterday how Mrs Mirabella had confessed her regret at getting caught in the “Canberra bubble” and not spending enough time in her electorate.

One North East political insider, who asked not to be named, said the local Liberals were torn.

“It seems most think her letter is genuine, but that it shouldn’t have come to where we’re at now for that to be realised,” the source said.

“The thinking seems to be, ‘We’ve tried her, it’s failed’.

“But but they’re also saying who else is there?”

Mrs Mirabella will be opposed by Wodonga businessman Kevin Ekendahl, who has won the support of Victorian Liberals president Michael Kroger, and Melbourne-based anaesthetist Andrew Walpole.

Farrer MP Sussan Ley declined to comment, while Indi’s Victorian neighbours, Murray MP Sharman Stone and Gippsland MP Darren Chester, also had little to say on the possible return of Mrs Miralbella.

Ms Stone did not comment while the Nationals’ Mr Chester said: “The decision on who the Liberals pre-select is obviously a matter for their party members and I don’t have any comment to make on the suitability of individual candidates”.

Riverina Nationals MP Michael McCormack was more forthcoming.

“She lost the seat in an election where every other Coaltiion member had strong support, so I suppose there has to be a bit mea culpa, a bit of naval gazing in so far as why that happened,” he said.

“Sometimes you get it wrong, and she’s genuine enough to realise she did get it wrong. There’s probably no other way to put it.

“It’s humbling to represent a country electorate, it’s about being a local champion.

“A lot of people get elected to Parliament, they make a lot of noise and try to get the best for the electorate and Sophie’s one of those.”

Asked if she would be welcome back in Canberra, Mr McCormack said: “You’d have to ask her Liberal colleagues”.

“Respect from colleagues is not just something you get by past experience of having been a member, you have to keep earning that respect,” he said.

“Everyday is a test of character. She obviously hasn’t lost the desire to be in the hurly-burly of Parliament House, but winning pre-selection is a long way from winning an election.”

The independent who usurped Mrs Mirabella, Cathy McGowan, yesterday brushed off criticisms in Mrs Mirabella’s letter that she was ineffective, masqueraded as conservative and backed Labor and the Greens.

“I’ve got no opinion about it at all,” she said.

“The Liberal Party will do what the Liberal Party will do and until such time as an election is called, I’m going to focus on really doing Indi business. It’s 100 per cent of my time and energy — I could get distracted but I’m not going to.”