Newshub can reveal more than a third of National's supporters want Judith Collins to reopen the door to working with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.
But Collins is sticking to her guns, despite not currently having a credible path to forming a Government after the election.
"This is a campaign for true believers," Peters said on Monday as he campaigned in Whanganui, packing out a hall to talk to supporters.
But Collins certainly isn't a true believer - in Peters' future at least.
"As a Christian, I do believe in miracles, but I tell you what, he ain't going to be one of them," Collins said during the Newshub Leaders Debate earlier this month.
Even if he does rise again, Collins is still ruling him out.
"The caucus has made that decision and I don't think he's going to be back," she said on Monday.
In the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll, voters were asked if Collins - as the new National Party leader - should open the door to working with NZ First.
More than a third of National voters - 37 percent - said yes, she should welcome Peters back, but more than half said no, shut him out.
Collins indicated she would be a tough negotiator if she got the chance to enter coalition negotiations after the election.
"I'm not someone who takes chocolate biscuits to the bargaining table to show subservience."
On Newshub's latest poll, NZ First won't make it back to Parliament. But if he pulls off that miracle as Collins dubbed it, she has ruled out a potential partner to give her much-needed numbers.
Peters doesn't like questions about polls.
"You're talking drivel, carry on, next question," he said on the topic. "If you're going to base your question on numb-skull information, then I'm not going to answer you."
He bailed on a press conference and wouldn't answer questions about negotiating with Collins.
Collins bailed on the topic too.
"I'm not sure he's going to be there," Collins said, walking off as she was asked if she would ever sit down with Peters just to hear him out.
As the old trope goes, never rule out NZ First. It may yet be Peters that gets the last laugh.
