Steve Martin is expected to be officially endorsed as the candidate soon and will become the first name confirmed for the ballot paper when an election is called next year.

Not even Ms McGowan herself has announced if she will run again.

It was a positive move from Liberals who will be desperate to reclaim the seat after six years.

In that time former MP Sophie Mirabella has run against, and lost, twice to Ms McGowan.

But Mr Martin represents a different approach.

“I don’t come from a political background, it was more the fact that the Liberal party’s values really aligned with my personal values,” he told The Border Mail for today’s paper.

It’s a telling comment which separates him from the Mirabella name that has been synonymous with politics in the North East for so long.

The Indi Liberals will be hoping a fresh face, who has strong ties to the business community, may be their ticket back to Canberra.

Five months out from an expected election in May, they are off the starting blocks before the rest of the field has even registered.

Ms McGowan has previously said she was likely to make her decision by the end of the year.

While not a member of a political party, her “team” of Voices for Indi will hold a forum in Benalla on January 12 to hear from those who want to be the next “orange independent”.

The shifting of Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie’s office to Wodonga appears to be an indication she will also run for Indi, but the odds are on her waiting for Ms McGowan’s decision before she makes hers.

Mr Martin will just have to wait like the rest of us to see what will happen.