A Newshub-Reid Research poll has brought some seriously bad news for Simon Bridges.
Mr Bridges, who has now been in the role three months to the day, has earned just 9 percent of the vote in the preferred Prime Minister stakes - the lowest result for a National leader in over a decade.
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The poll, which is the first to be conducted since the new Labour-led Government's first Budget, suggests his status as leader of the Opposition is failing to get any real traction with voters.
Incumbent Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is sitting pretty on 40.2 percent, with Winston Peters' ranking nothing to write home about on 4.6 percent.
However it's not all bad; National still has the party vote.
Labour is on 42.6 percent - up by 0.3 percent - no great change despite hogging headlines with its first Budget.
National is on 45.1 percent - also a slight nudge up 0.6 percent - steady as she goes, but not enough to take back power.
New Zealand First is on 2.4 percent - plummeting by a further 1.2 percent - that means no New Zealand First in Parliament. Farewell, Winston Peters.
The Greens are on 5.7 percent - down by 0.3 percent - only just above the MMP threshold, but they'll be happy with the result because look at how it translates to seats in Parliament.
Sixty-one seats are needed for a majority. National gets 58.
We're assuming a deal is done in Epsom, so ACT keeps its seat - but even with ACT, National still can't claw back power.
Labour can't govern alone either with 55 seats - and with NZ First obliterated, the Greens become queen or king-maker.
Newshub.
