Auckland Mayoral hopeful Leo Molloy has lost a key figure in his campaign team just days after an explosive interview.
Businesswoman June McCabe told the Weekend Herald she made the decision to quit as campaign chair by mutual agreement on Friday night but would still be a supporter of Molloy.
"I thought he was doing really well, but he needed to find a go-forward position to help him go to the finish line," McCabe said.
McCabe said she's known Molloy for about six years and "he is a good guy and wants what is best for Auckland".
The latest Ratepayers' Alliance Curia poll, which was released this week shows Labour and Greens-endorsed Efeso Collins has snuck ahead followed by Molloy, with Wayne Brown and Viv Beck closely behind. The July poll of 500 Aucklanders found 27 percent backed Collins, Molloy had 23 percent of the support, Beck on 18 percent, Wayne Brown on 15 percent, Craig Lord on 13 percent, Ted Johnston on 5 percent, while 35 percent were undecided.
Molloy told the NZ Herald he still considered McCabe a strong supporter and a very astute adviser.
"The team is morphing… We haven't had the discussion about specific replacements [for McCabe] yet, but we are definitely looking at options," he said.
McCabe told the Herald her quitting had nothing to do with Molloy's bizarre appearance on comedian Guy Williams' New Zealand Today show.
During the interview, Molloy frequently referred to Williams as "woke", "a soft c*ck" and used the word "retard" on a number of occasions.
Fellowing the interview, fellow Mayoral candidate Brown called on rival Molloy to withdraw from the race.
"The bizarre antics, short-temper, and foul-mouthed rants last night have eliminated any thought he was capable of being Mayor," Brown said.
"The Mayor of Auckland should be a serious, dignified role, that represents and leads our city on the national and global stage, and fixes difficult and complex problems - Mr Molloy is not fit for the job."
