Tauranga's Business Chamber CEO Matt Cowley has put his hat in the ring for the National Party candidate selection process.
The party is set to decide who it will put forward for the Tauranga electorate by-election early next month.
Cowley said he was "looking forward to participating in the National Party's selection process, particularly in the contest of ideas with the other nominees".
"I respect the National Party's process and I have full confidence in the local membership to reach a good decision."
Cowley, a former Tauranga City Councillor, previously impersonated former US President Donald Trump while moderating a 2016 Tauranga mayoralty debate.
"I understand around Auckland and the housing crisis and the influx of Aucklanders coming down – we need to build a wall around the Bombays to keep the Ponsonby hipsters out," he joked at the time.
Rotorua Lakes councillor Tania Tapsell who unsuccessfully ran for National in the East Coast electorate and had been tipped to run, told the AM Show she was not in the mix for the Tauranga National candidacy.
Simon Bridges announced last month he was stepping down as an MP after holding the seat since 2008.
Current Internal Affairs Minister and former local primary school principal Jan Tinetti remains Labour's candidate, while ACT has put forward builder Cameron Luxton.
The by-election is to be held on June 18.
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