DAN JERVIS-BARDY: The battle for Bullwinkel — and all its awkwardness — is just getting started

The battle for Bullwinkel was always going to get awkward for the Federal Coalition.

The rare occurrence of Liberal and National candidates fighting over the same patch of electoral turf was bound to produce some tense and uncomfortable moments, particularly between the party leaders.

And so it proved at last week’s National Farmer Rally outside Parliament House in Canberra.

Standing on stage with a flock of Coalition MPs were Matt Moran and Mia Davies, the Liberal and Nationals’ candidates for WA’s newest Federal seat.

Liberal leader Peter Dutton made a point of giving a shout-out to his man Moran, who happened to be standing right next to him. Not to be outdone, Nationals leader David Littleproud praised his “good mate” Davies, who happened to be standing next to him.

“She’s led WA before (as State opposition leader) and will help to do it again here in Canberra,” a fired-up Littleproud told a protest attended by hundreds of WA farmers.

Davies is a proven political performer and Moran seems competent enough.

But only one of them can go to Canberra — and that’s if the Coalition wins the seat at all.

In pitting two energetic and capable candidates against each other, the Liberals and Nationals risk splitting the conservative vote in Bullwinkel, potentially inadvertently handing the seat to Labor candidate Trish Cook.

Neither party would ever contemplate dropping out of the race and swinging resources behind the other, to prevent that prospect. The Liberals and Nationals might sit on the same side of the chamber in Canberra but they truly detest one another in WA.

So strap yourself in.

The battle for Bullwinkel — and all its awkwardness — is just getting started.