[5] It also included the northern parts of Palmerston North, containing some of the city's highest and lowest valued housing areas, which comprised half of the voters in the electorate.
He defeated Labour's candidate, Palmerston North City Councillor Sam Mihaere.
[7] Three years later Gandar defeated Rex Willing, who was former Prime Minister Norman Kirk's secretary, as well as the deputy leader of the Social Credit Party Les Hunter.
[8] Beetham had won the electorate in the Rangitikei by-election, held earlier in the year on 18 February 1978 after the death of Sir Roy Jack.
[9] National planned that Gandar would take over the new electorate at the November general election, and stood an interim candidate, local Jim Bull, in the by-election.