However, Bridges' personal popularity remained well below that of Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Jacinda Ardern.

[4][5][6] In September 2020, the National-supporting political commentator Matthew Hooton alleged that at this time Collins had formed a leadership ticket with Todd Muller, but they had been unable to gather sufficient support to remove Bridges.

Among other incidents, he received criticism for describing National MP Jami-Lee Ross as having "embarrassing" personal health problems ahead of Ross quitting to become an independent MP[8] and for describing a National Party staffer as "junior" and "emotional" when he deleted, in the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings, an anti-migration petition that was hosted on the Party's website.

[9][10] In April 2020, during New Zealand's COVID-19 pandemic, Bridges published a long Facebook post criticising the Government's response to COVID-19.

[13][14] Bridges also received some criticism for choosing to drive weekly between his home in Tauranga and Parliament to chair the Epidemic Response Committee, which was meeting virtually over Zoom.

When asked whether Nikki Kaye was his running mate for the deputy position, he refused to comment, saying "all conversations about leadership should stay within caucus".

Amy Adams, who had planned to retire at the 2020 election, instead changed her mind and was awarded the newly created "Covid-19 Recovery" portfolio.

[49] After retaining the Tauranga electorate in the 2020 general election, Bridges resigned as a Member of Parliament on 15 March 2022, causing a byelection for his seat.

[54] On 14 July 2020, he resigned as leader, saying: "the role has taken a heavy toll on me personally, and on my family, and this has become untenable from a health perspective.