OPINION: I'm sorry Judith Collins, but on these numbers it's time to go.
The preferred prime minister numbers in our Newshub-Reid Research Poll are where the political thriller becomes a real nailbiter.
Jacinda Ardern is still preferred prime minister on 48.1 percent, dipping 4.5 percentage points.
But this is where the story is: Judith Collins is on just 5.6 percent - a 12.8 percentage point plummet.
Even Sir John Key is more popular than Collins on 6.7 percent and he's not even a politician anymore.
And for the first time in our poll - here he comes - Christopher Luxon is starting to register with voters on 2.4 percent.
Collins should perhaps worry less about segregation by stealth and more about a hostile takeover of her leadership.
Collins' quest to be Prime Minister ended in October last year with that abysmal election night loss but these numbers seal the deal.
Simon Bridges was rolled after a Newshub-Reid Research Poll when the party vote tumbled under him but it was still higher then than where it's at now - at least it had a 3 in front (30.6 percent May 2020).
Bridges' and Collins' preferred PM ratings are about the same. Both in the pits - there's no coming back from it. Even the deeply unpopular Bridges didn't have Sir John ahead of him.
Make no mistake, Collins is a caretaker leader.
A coup or forced resignation may not happen overnight. In fact, her rebel MPs have been keen to hold off until mid-next year to try to stave off the domino effect of destabilisation causing multiple leadership changes like last term.
But there is unease with some of her MPs over this new found race obsession and if they think she's causing more harm than good they could move sooner.
The upshot is Collins being replaced as leader is now a matter of when, not if.
The poll was conducted between 7-13 May with a margin of error of 3.1 percent.
