Hannam Vale’s Sean Gleeson has been endorsed by the Nationals while Port Macquarie’s Stuart Watson will represent the Greens at the state government poll on 15 March.

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The men join the Libertarian Party’s Breelin Coetzer and the Liberals’ Rob Dwyer, who launched their campaigns earlier this month.

Both Coalition partners are now represented by a resident of the Camden Haven.

For the National Party, the process of choosing a challenger has been tumultuous.

Port Macquarie doctor Warwick Yonge was originally pre-selected, but failed to secure the endorsement of the party’s Central Executive.

Dr Yonge said he was dumped over unsubstantiated allegations.

“The allegations are false,” he said in a written statement.

“It was not disclosed to me who was making the allegations received by the Nationals.

“As a result I refused to resign and was sacked.”

State Leader Dugald Saunders had assembled a line-up of Nationals MPs in Port Macquarie on Sunday, 9 February, to announce Dr Yonge’s pre-selection.

Returning earlier this week, he said the party was not embarrassed by the backflip.

“It’s not the first time it’s ever happened. It’s not the last time it’ll ever happen,” he said.

“It doesn’t mean it’s a comfortable thing. It doesn’t mean it’s my preference. But at the end of the day, we move forward and we make sure we represent Port Macquarie the best we can.”

Mr Saunders did not detail what the allegations were.

“There have been a series of issues raised that I wasn’t comfortable with the candidate having to deal with in the public eye and I wasn’t comfortable with the party having to deal with from a political perspective.

“I wish Warwick and his family all the best. He’s [still] got a great contribution to make to this community.”

This time around, the Nationals waited for the Central Executive’s endorsement before announcing Mr Gleeson as their replacement candidate.

The beef cattle farmer and his wife Jody have lived in the Hannam Vale area for more than fifteen years and run properties that have been in their family for generations.

They are heavily involved in Ag Shows NSW while Mr Gleeson was the President of the Camden Haven Pastoral, Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Society for six years.

Fellow contender Stuart Watson is no stranger to campaigning.

The NSW Greens candidate ran for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council in 2024, on the ticket of now Deputy Mayor Lauren Edwards.

Mr Watson lives in Port Macquarie and is dedicated to “renewable community energy projects” and “action against dangerous climate change.”

“Now is the time for bold, forward-thinking leadership that puts the people and the environment first, not profit making no matter the cost,” he said in a statement.

Nominations for the Port Macquarie by-election opened today and close on 27 February, which means more candidates may yet come forward.

All will be looking to replace retiring Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams, who originally won the seat for the Nationals, before switching parties in 2020 and claiming it for the Liberals in 2023.

Mrs Williams said the death of her husband Don during her last election campaign was cause for reflection.

Her decision to resign halfway into this term was so she could be with her children and grandchildren in Western Australia.

By Sue STEPHENSON