Senate hopeful Greg Mirabella is facing questions from party members over his regional credentials amid revelations his family are living in inner Melbourne.
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Mr Mirabella, a farmer from north-east Victoria, and former Liberal MP Sarah Henderson are considered front-runners in the preselection race to take Victoria's empty Senate position following the appointment of former minister Mitch Fifield as Australia's next ambassador to the United Nations.
Both have strongly pushed their regional credentials to the 500-odd party members who will decide the winner in a fortnight, following a raft of members airing concerns the party had become too city centric.
Mr Mirabella, a former Victorian Farmers Federation branch president, claims a primary residence at a farm near Wangaratta in his wife Sophie's former federal electorate of Indi.
But his status has come under fire from party members who wrote to Victorian Liberal officials last week requesting the party confirm whether Mr Mirabella spends more time at the farm or at a South Melbourne address owned by his wife.
It is understood the couple's two daughters are enrolled in Melbourne schools.
The claims were raised at a meeting of the party's state administrative committee last week but were dismissed by acting Liberal state director Adam Wojtonis.
Multiple committee members at the meeting said a letter was raised for discussion, but Mr Wojtonis said he had already investigated Mr Mirabella's living arrangements and found no evidence his primary residence was not in Wangaratta.
Mr Mirabella declined to comment when contacted, citing party rules prohibiting candidates from speaking publicly about party issues or a preselection race.
However, the Senate hopeful has told some members privately that he spends around 10 to 11 days a fortnight in Wangaratta.
Country and rural credentials have emerged as a key battleground during the preselection, with the race between Barwon Heads-based Ms Henderson and Mr Mirabella becoming a proxy war between feuding factions.
Sources on both sides say the race is "too close to call" despite Ms Henderson enjoying public endorsements from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
Ms Henderson has floated a range of measures throughout her campaign that she says will improve country and regional representation, including a plan to open a second office in northern Victoria.
Seven candidates are contesting the preselection, including defeated Dunkley MP Chris Crewther, former state MP Inga Peulich and Kyle Hoppitt.
Ms Peulich and Mr Hoppitt will have backing from the harder conservatives in the Victorian division, and how these blocs of votes flow during the preselection convention will be pivotal.
