Labor has locked in its candidate for the Gippsland East electorate ahead of November’s state election, endorsing Cowwarr resident Sonny Stephens.
Ms Stephens, a farmer and army veteran, returns to the campaign trail after representing Labor in last year’s federal election against Nationals MP Darren Chester.
Interestingly, while Ms Stephens resides in Cowwarr, the township itself sits just outside the official Victorian Electoral Commission boundaries for the Gippsland East electorate.
The Gippsland East contest shapes up as a high-stakes race following the retirement of long-serving Nationals MP Tim Bull. The Nationals have endorsed Gemma Rendell to defend the seat, while Ash Munro will contest the electorate for the Greens.
Adding further intrigue to the contest, local group Gippsland East Matters has been actively searching for a community-backed independent candidate, while One Nation has yet to announce a representative for the electorate.
