Parachute Candidate
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A parachute candidate, or carpetbagger in the United States, is a pejorative term for an election
candidate A candidate, or nominee, is a prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position. For example, one can be a candidate for membership in a group (sociology), group or election to an offic ...
who does not live in the area they are running to represent and has little connection to it. The allegation is thus that a desperate political party lacking reliable talent local to the district or region is "parachuting" the candidate in for the job or that the party (or the candidate themselves) wishes to give a candidate an easier election than would happen in their home area. The term also carries the implication that the candidacy has been imposed without regard to the existing local hierarchy.


Australia


Australian Labor Party

Due to its factions (
Labor Left The Labor Left (LL), also known as the Progressive Left, Socialist Left or simply the Left, is one of the two major political factions within the Australian Labor Party (ALP). It is nationally characterised by social progressivism and democra ...
,
Labor Right The Labor Right (LR), also known as Labor Forum, Labor Unity or simply Unity, is one of the two major political factions within the Australian Labor Party (ALP). It is nationally characterised by social democratic to Third Way economic policies ...
, and Independent Labor),
Labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
often has arrangements in place for preselections, which would often result in parachuting candidates. * Anthony Byrne lived outside his electorate, Holt, in the neighbouring electorate of La Trobe. * Andrew Charlton, a former adviser to
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
Kevin Rudd Kevin Michael Rudd (born 21 September 1957) is an Australian diplomat and former politician who served as the 26th prime minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010 and June to September 2013. He held office as the Leaders of the Australian Labo ...
, was criticised for being parachuted into the
Division of Parramatta The Division of Parramatta is an Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives, Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales. It was created in 1900 and was one of the List of Australian electorates contested at every el ...
to succeed retiring MP Julie Owens at the
2022 Australian federal election The 2022 Australian federal election was held on Saturday, 21 May 2022, to elect members of the 47th Parliament of Australia. The incumbent Morrison government, Liberal–National Coalition government, led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, soug ...
over local candidates who were from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Before the electoral campaign, Charlton resided in Sydney's eastern suburbs in Bellevue Hill in a property worth over $A16 million and only purchased a property in the electorate once preselected. * Mary Doyle: At the time of her preselections, Doyle didn't live in the Division of Aston. Doyle lived in the suburb of
Mitcham Mitcham is an area within the London Borough of Merton in South London, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross. Originally a village in the county of Surrey, today it is mainly a residential suburb, and includes Mitcham Common. It ...
, located in the nearby Deakin electorate. *
Mark Dreyfus Mark Alfred Dreyfus (born 3 October 1956) is an Australian politician and lawyer. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), and has been the MP for Isaacs since the 2007 election. Dreyfus served as the attorney-general of Austral ...
lives outside his electorate, Isaacs. * Jane Garrett, a former minister in the
First Andrews Ministry The First Andrews ministry was the 69th ministry of the Government of Victoria. The Labor Government, led by the Premier, Daniel Andrews, and Deputy Premier, James Merlino, was officially sworn in on 4 December 2014, following the 2014 sta ...
in Victoria, was parachuted into the number one position in the Eastern Victoria Region at the 2018 Victorian state election, a seat that future MP Daniel Mulino vacated to run for the Division of Fraser in
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
's western suburbs. Garrett had been the MP for the
electoral district of Brunswick The electoral district of Brunswick is an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It covers an area of in inner northern Melbourne, and includes the suburbs of Brunswick, Victoria, Brunswick, Brunswick East, Victoria, Brunswick East, ...
, which was becoming increasingly marginal, and was criticised for her role in a dispute between the Country Fire Authority, the United Firefighters Union, and the state government in her capacity as Minister for Emergency Services. * In 2004, musician and activist
Peter Garrett Peter Robert Garrett (born 16 April 1953) is an Australian musician, environmentalist, activist and former politician. In 1973, Garrett became the lead singer of the Australian rock band Midnight Oil. As a performer he is known for his sign ...
was preselected as the Australian Labor Party's candidate for the safe seat of Kingsford Smith at the federal election that year due to the intervention of leader
Mark Latham Mark William Latham (; born 28 February 1961) is an Australian politician and media commentator who is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. He previously served as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and Leader of the ...
, despite opposition from the local ALP branch, who labelled him an outsider. The CFMEU issued a statement criticising his selection as "a pathetic version of political celebrity squares". Regardless, Garrett was elected to the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
. * Mathew Hilakari, Labor's candidate for the newly established electorate of Point Cook, was parachuted in for the
2022 Victorian state election The 2022 Victorian state election was held on Saturday, 26 November 2022 to elect the 60th Parliament of Victoria. All 88 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, Legislative Assembly (lower house) and all 40 seats in the Victorian Legislat ...
. Hilakari, before pre-selection, was residing in Melbourne's southeastern suburbs in Seaford. He is also the convenor for Labor's Socialist Left faction (of which
Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...
Daniel Andrews Daniel Michael Andrews (born 6 July 1972) is an Australian former politician who served as the 48th premier of Victoria from 2014 to 2023. He held office as the leader of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 2010 and ...
is a part) in Victoria. * Ged Kearney: As of 2018, Kearney didn't live in her electorate,
Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
at the time. * Former
Premier of New South Wales The premier of New South Wales is the head of government in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Government of New South Wales follows the Westminster system, Westminster Parliamentary System, with a Parliament of New South Wales actin ...
Kristina Keneally was preselected as Labor candidate for the 2017 Bennelong by-election. She lived 800 metres outside the electorate, which, combined with her high profile, attracted accusations of parachuting. * Keneally sought preselection for the House of Representatives again in 2021, this time for the electorate of Fowler in western
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
despite living in the city's affluent northern suburbs. She was also criticised for making the move despite retiring member Chris Hayes having already endorsed local
Vietnamese Australian Vietnamese Australians () are Australians of Vietnamese descent. Vietnamese Australians are one of the largest groups within the global Vietnamese diaspora. At the 2021 census, 334,781 people stated that they had Vietnamese ancestry (whether ...
lawyer Tu Le as his successor in a working-class, migrant-rich neighbourhood. With heavy publicity drawn toward what is normally one of the safest seats in Australian politics, Keneally suffered a massive swing against the previous result and lost the seat for Labor for the only time in its 13-election existence, with parts of the area being held as far back as 1934 when it was part of Werriwa. This resulted in a former Liberal Party member who turned independent, Vietnamese Australian and former refugee Dai Le, being elected. * In 2013, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd asked Jason Yat-Sen Li to run as the Labor candidate for the seat of
Bennelong Woollarawarre Bennelong ( 1764 – 3 January 1813) was a senior man of the Eora, an Aboriginal Australian people of the Port Jackson area, at the time of the first British settlement in Australia. Bennelong served as an interlocutor between ...
at the 2013 federal election even though he did not live in the electorate. He lost the election. * In 2007, journalist Maxine McKew was preselected as Labor candidate in the forthcoming federal election for Bennelong, represented by then-Prime Minister
John Howard John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. His eleven-year tenure as prime min ...
. McKew did not live in the electorate then, and sold her home in Mosman to move before the election. She went on to defeat Howard, becoming the first candidate to unseat a sitting prime minister in an election since 1929, when Jack Holloway defeated
Stanley Bruce Stanley Melbourne Bruce, 1st Viscount Bruce of Melbourne (15 April 1883 – 25 August 1967) was an Australian politician, statesman and businessman who served as the eighth prime minister of Australia from 1923 to 1929. He held office as ...
at Flinders. * Daniel Mulino is the current MP for the Division of Fraser in Melbourne's western suburbs. Mulino had previously been a member of the
Victorian Legislative Council The Victorian Legislative Council is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria, Australia, the lower house being the Victorian Legislative Assembly, Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit at Parliament House, Melbourne, Parliament ...
for the Eastern Victoria Region, a seat he vacated for Jane Garrett. Before his tenure in the
Parliament of Victoria The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria (state), Victoria that follows a Westminster System, Westminster-derived parliamentary system. It consists of the Monarchy in Australia, King, represent ...
, Mulino was a councillor and mayor for the City of Casey. Mulino lived in the electorate of Fraser in the 2019 Australian federal election, in which he was elected. *
Clare O'Neil Clare Ellen O'Neil (born 12 September 1980) is an Australian politician who is the Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness since July 2024, Minister for Cities since May 2025 and was the Minister for Home Affairs and Minister f ...
previously lived in East Melbourne, outside her electorate, Hotham, but bought a house in Oakleigh in 2020. * In 2013, athlete Nova Peris was preselected as Labor's leading candidate for the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
in the
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
. Peris was born and raised in the Northern Territory, but her selection was received with controversy due to her celebrity status and the personal intervention of leader and Prime Minister
Julia Gillard Julia Eileen Gillard (born 29 September 1961) is an Australian former politician who served as the 27th prime minister of Australia from 2010 to 2013. She held office as the leader of the Labor Party (ALP), having previously served as the ...
, who described the selection as a "captain's pick". * Maria Vamvakinou: she lived in Northcote, which lies outside her electorate, Calwell.


Coalition

* Despite representing Menzies for nearly thirty-one years, Kevin Andrews never lived there. He lived in neighbouring Jagajaga. * Russell Broadbent: , Broadbent, the MP for Monash, and his wife lived outside his electorate in
Pakenham, Victoria Pakenham ( ) is a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District and the most populous in the Shire of Cardinia. Pakenham recorded a population of 54,118 at the 2021 census. Pakenham has be ...
, in the Division of La Trobe. * Georgina Downer was Liberal candidate for the electorate of Mayo in the 2018 by-election. Daughter of long-serving MP for Mayo Alexander Downer, Downer had grown up in the area and proclaimed that she was "coming home" in the by-election. However, she had lived most of her life in
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
and Melbourne and sought preselection for a seat in the latter during the 2016 election. She lost to
Centre Alliance Centre Alliance (CA), formerly known as the Nick Xenophon Team (NXT), is a centrist List of political parties in Australia, Australian political party based in the state of South Australia. It currently has one elected representative, Rebekha ...
incumbent Rebekha Sharkie. * Eric Hutchinson did not live in his electorate,
Lyons Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
, but in neighbouring
Bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...
. * In 2013, Liberal National Senator
Barnaby Joyce Barnaby Thomas Gerard Joyce (born 17 April 1967) is an Australian politician who was the leader of the National Party of Australia from 2016 to 2018 and again from 2021 to 2022. Joyce was the 17th deputy prime minister of Australia during both ...
was preselected as Nationals candidate for the
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
seat of
New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
. Joyce was raised in Tamworth, within the electorate, but had lived in
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
for over twenty years and represented the state in the Senate since 2005. * Former President of the Australian Labor Party Warren Mundine was a parachute candidate for the Liberal Party of Australia in the
Division of Gilmore The Division of Gilmore is an Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives, Australian electoral division in the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales. It lies on the South Coast (New South Wales), South Coast be ...
at the 2019 federal election to succeed retiring MP Ann Sudmalis. Prior to Mundine's selection, the local party branches had preselected Grant Schultz, whose candidacy would eventually be overridden by the party's state executive to select Mundine instead at the request of Prime Minister
Scott Morrison Scott John Morrison (born 13 May 1968) is an Australian former politician who served as the 30th prime minister of Australia from 2018 to 2022. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, leader of the Liberal Party and was ...
. Fiona Phillips of the Australian Labor Party defeated Mundine: she received a two-party swing of 3.34 per cent while Schultz contested the electorate as an
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
candidate, receiving 7,585 votes. * After the resignation of Prime Minister
Malcolm Turnbull Malcolm Bligh Turnbull (born 24 October 1954) is an Australian former politician and businessman who served as the 29th prime minister of Australia from 2015 to 2018. He held office as Liberal Party of Australia, leader of the Liberal Party an ...
from Parliament in 2018, Dave Sharma was preselected as the Liberal candidate in the resulting by-election at Wentworth. Sharma did not live in the electorate at the time. He narrowly lost the by-election, but successfully contested the seat again several months later in the 2019 federal election. In the 2022 federal general election, Independent candidate Allegra Spender defeated Sharma. *
Brett Whiteley Brett Whiteley Order of Australia, AO (7 April 1939 – 15 June 1992) was an Australian artist. He is represented in the collections of all the large Australian galleries, and was twice winner of the Archibald Prize, Archibald, Wynne Prize, ...
did not live in his electorate of Braddon during the 2016 election campaign, but in neighbouring Lyons, at Squeaking Point near Port Sorell. * Jason Wood, the MP for La Trobe, lives with his family in Mount Dandenong, approximately 11kms outside his electorate, in the Division of Casey.


Canada


Federal

* In the
2008 Canadian federal election The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on October 14, 2008, to elect members to the House of Commons of Canada of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the 39th Canadian Parliament, previous parliament had been dissolved by Governor General o ...
, in
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...
, the
New Democratic Party The New Democratic Party (NDP; , ) is a federal political party in Canada. Widely described as social democratic,The party is widely described as social democratic: * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Editors of ''Encyclopædia Britann ...
nominated Phyllis Artiss, who lived in St. John's, for the northern riding of
Labrador Labrador () is a geographic and cultural region within the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the primarily continental portion of the province and constitutes 71% of the province's area but is home to only 6% of its populatio ...
. Artiss was nominated in the absence of any local candidate and admitted that she found her candidacy to be not ideal: "It would be much better to have someone from Labrador who has lived there all their lives or much of their lives and worked there, and I haven't done that." Artiss was unsuccessful in her bid. * Former
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
Joe Clark Charles Joseph Clark (born June 5, 1939) is a Canadian businessman, writer, and retired politician who served as the 16th prime minister of Canada from 1979 to 1980. He also served as Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada), leader of the ...
, an
Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
n, was seen as a parachute candidate when he ran for election in the
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
riding of Kings—Hants at a by-election in 2000. Clark had been elected leader of the Progressive Conservatives for the second time in 1998 and was seeking a seat in the House of Commons; incumbent Tory MP Scott Brison had stepped aside for Clark. He was elected, but in the 2000 federal election, he instead sought election in the Alberta riding of Calgary Centre. He won in Calgary Centre, making it the only constituency to flip to the PCs. *
Chrystia Freeland Christina Alexandra Freeland (born August 2, 1968) is a Canadian politician and journalist who has served as the Member of Parliament (Canada), member of Parliament (MP) for University—Rosedale (federal electoral district), University—Rose ...
faced accusations of being a parachute candidate after the
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...
nominated her for the safe seat of Toronto Centre at a 2013 by-election (which its former interim leader
Bob Rae Robert Keith Rae (born August 2, 1948) is a Canadian diplomat and former politician who is the current Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations since 2020. He previously served as the 21st premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995, leader of the ...
had represented), as she was born in rural northern Alberta and lived in New York City at the time. She ultimately won the seat. * Kellie Leitch was accused of being a parachute candidate when she sought the
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
nomination in the
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
riding of Simcoe—Grey in
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
. Leitch was born in
Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
and worked in
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
at the time of her nomination. Leitch won the seat over candidates including Helena Guergis, the former Conservative Member of Parliament whom she defeated for the nomination and who ran as an independent. * In
2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
, the Conservative Party nominated Lea Mollison for the riding of
Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is a federal Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of Provinces and territorie ...
. Mollison was a resident of
Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario. Its population i ...
, Ontario, and reportedly never visited the
Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is a federal Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of Provinces and territorie ...
. Mollison's campaign ignored local media requests, including an invitation to a candidates' forum, which drew widespread criticism. *
Lester B. Pearson Lester Bowles Pearson (23 April 1897 – 27 December 1972) was a Canadian politician, diplomat, statesman, and scholar who served as the 14th prime minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968. He also served as Leader of the Liberal Party of C ...
, who was born and raised in Toronto, served as MP for Algoma East in rural Northwestern Ontario during his parliamentary career from 1948 to 1968. In his memoirs, Pearson admitted he did not have "any earlier connection" to the riding; Pearson had been seeking entry into the House of Commons, and the seat had been made vacant for him when Prime Minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King (December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian statesman and politician who was the tenth prime minister of Canada for three non-consecutive terms from 1921 to 1926, 1926 to 1930, and 1935 to 1948. A Liberal ...
recommended that its sitting member, Thomas Farquhar, be appointed to the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
. Pearson nevertheless won election eight times before retiring from Parliament, culminating in his premiership of five years. * After Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was unseated in the 2025 election, Damien Kurek resigned to trigger a by-election in his safe Western Canadian seat in his favour. * Jagmeet Singh, former
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
MPP for Bramalea—Gore—Malton, faced accusations of being a parachute candidate when he stood at a by-election in Burnaby South, a riding in
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
. Singh had been elected leader of the NDP in 2017 but did not have a seat in the House of Commons (whereas his leadership opponents Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton, and Guy Caron were serving MPs) and stood in Burnaby South to gain one. Singh pledged to move to
Burnaby Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrard In ...
if he won the by-election. Singh was ultimately successful in his bid, and held his seat in the general elections of
2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
and 2021.


Provincial

*
Ernie Eves Ernest Larry Eves (born June 17, 1946) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician who served as the 23rd premier of Ontario from 2002 to 2003. A Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Progressive Conservative, he took over the premiership up ...
became the leader of the Ontario PCs and
Premier of Ontario The premier of Ontario () is the head of government of Ontario. Under the Westminster system, the premier governs with the confidence of a majority the elected Legislative Assembly; as such, the premier typically sits as a member of Provincia ...
in
2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
. He was called a parachute candidate when he ran for election in the safe Conservative seat of
Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey could refer to: * Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey (federal electoral district) * Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey (provincial electoral district) {{Disambiguation ...
instead of a constituency in Windsor, where he was born, or Parry Sound—Muskoka, which he had represented as MPP from 1981 until 1999. * In
New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
, Liberal leader
Susan Holt Susan Holt (born April 22, 1977) is a Canadian politician, who has served as the 35th premier of New Brunswick since November 2, 2024, and has been the leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Association since August 6, 2022. She has served as th ...
was accused of being a parachute candidate when she ran in the safe Liberal constituency of Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore in a 2023 by-election instead of any riding in
Fredericton Fredericton (; ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of New Brunswick. The city is situated in the west-central portion of the province along the Saint John River (Bay of Fundy), Saint John River, ...
, where she was born and ran as a candidate in
2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
(she placed second in Fredericton South). *
Danielle Smith Marlaina Danielle Smith (born April 1, 1971) is a Canadian politician, former lobbyist, and former columnist and media personality who has been serving as the 19th premier of Alberta and leader of the United Conservative Party (UCP) since 20 ...
, current Premier of Alberta, was called a parachute candidate when she ran at a by-election in Brooks-Medicine Hat after winning the
2022 United Conservative Party leadership election The 2022 United Conservative Party leadership election was held on October 6 in Alberta to select a new leader of the United Conservative Party and Premier of Alberta. The leadership election was triggered following the May 18 leadership rev ...
instead of Highwood, the district she resides in and formerly represented as a Wildrose MLA.


Municipal

* In Ontario, Patrick Brown, who had previously been MP for
Barrie Barrie is a city in Central Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. The city is within Simcoe County and located along the shores of Kempenfelt Bay. Although it is physically in the county, Barrie is politically independent. The city is part ...
and MPP for Simcoe North, was called a parachute candidate when he announced his campaign for Mayor of Brampton in
2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
. Brown ultimately succeeded in his mayoral bid.


European Parliament

*
Sophie in 't Veld Sophia Helena "Sophie" in 't Veld (born 13 September 1963) is a Dutch politician (Volt, previously D66). She was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2004, and reelected in 2009, 2014 and 2019. She was D66's top candidate for the ...
left Dutch
Democrats 66 Democrats 66 (; D66) is a social liberal and progressive political party in the Netherlands, which is positioned on the centre to centre-left of the political spectrum. It is a member of the Liberal International (LI) and the Alliance of Li ...
to join
Volt Europa Volt Europa (known mononymously as Volt) is a transnational pro-European and Federalisation of the European Union, federalist European political alliances, European political movement. It operates as a Pan-European identity, pan-European umbrell ...
but she joined too late to be eligible for Volt Netherlands so she ran for Volt Belgium instead. *In Italy, it is quite common for party leaders to ran as lead candidates in all constituencies. * Waldemar Herdt did not run for
Alternative for Germany Alternative for Germany (, AfD, ) is a Far-right politics in Germany (1945–present), far-right,Far-right: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Right-wing populism, right-wing populist and National conservatism, national-conservative p ...
in the 2019 election instead he ran on the Centre Party list in Latvia.


France

France has a long history of parachute candidates. Extreme examples have been candidates from mainland France who ran for election in
overseas France Overseas France (, also ) consists of 13 France, French territories outside Europe, mostly the remnants of the French colonial empire that remained a part of the French state under various statuses after decolonisation. Most are part of the E ...
. In 1963, Michel Debré was parachuted to the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
island of
Réunion Réunion (; ; ; known as before 1848) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France. Part of the Mascarene Islands, it is located approximately east of the isl ...
nearly 6,000 miles away from the mainland, where he won a
by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...
and served as deputy for seventeen years. In the small North American territory of
Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Pierre and Miquelon ( ), officially the Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (), is a self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, located near the Canada, Canadian prov ...
, three candidates from the mainland have attempted to win its constituency seat since 2002, most recently Patricia Chagnon in
2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...
.


Ireland

*
Avril Doyle Avril Doyle (; born 18 April 1949) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Minister of State from 1986 to 1987 and from 1995 to 1997. She served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1999 to 2004 and 2004 to 2009, a ...
stood for
Fine Gael Fine Gael ( ; ; ) is a centre-right, liberal-conservative, Christian democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann. The party had a member ...
at the 2004 European elections in the Ireland East constituency, despite being from
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
, and was considered a parachute candidate. * George Lee was a successful parachute candidate for Fine Gael at the 2009 Dublin South
by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...
. * Lorraine Mulligan was described as a parachute candidate when she stood for Labour at the 2014 Dublin West by-election, despite living in Dublin Central. * Catherine Noone stood for Fine Gael in Dublin West at the 2016 general election; she later attempted to be "parachuted" in Dublin South-West before standing in Dublin Bay North at the 2020 general election. * Sheila Nunan stood for the Labour Party at the 2019 European elections in the Ireland South constituency, despite living in Dublin. Her team replied that she lived near the border with
County Wicklow County Wicklow ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606 in Ireland, 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces ...
and her parents are from
County Kerry County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...
, both counties in the South constituency. Michael McNamara claimed that "a parachute candidate could look like desperation. We he Labour Partyneed to be relevant and have relevant ideas for people in rural Ireland." * Journalist Susan O'Keeffe was described as a parachute candidate by local candidate Veronica Cawley when she stood for Labour in Sligo–North Leitrim at the 2011 general election; O'Keeffe is a native of Dublin but lived in
Sligo Sligo ( ; , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of 20,608 in 2022, it is the county's largest urban centre (constituting 2 ...
at the time.


New Zealand

In 2017, Deborah Russell won selection for the safe Labour seat of New Lynn, in West Auckland, despite being from
Whangamōmona Whangamōmona is a small township in the Stratford, New Zealand, Stratford District and Manawatū-Whanganui, Manawatū-Whanganui Region of New Zealand. It lies on New Zealand State Highway 43, State Highway 43, the "Forgotten World Highway", no ...
, a small town in the Manawatū-Whanganui region. She beat out Greg Presland, a New Lynn resident for 30 years who had the backing of the local members. However, Labour's Council backed Russell because of her finance expertise and a pledge to have more women in electorates. Upon winning selection, Russell moved to the electorate. She was elected in the 2017 election and re-elected in
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
before being defeated in the electorate in
2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...
.


Taiwan

Han Kuo-yu Han Kuo-yu (Chinese language, Chinese: 韓國瑜, born 17 June 1957), also known as Daniel Han, is a Taiwanese politician and retired Republic of China Army officer who is the current president of the Legislative Yuan. Han graduated from the ...
was a successful parachute candidate for Mayor of Kaohsiung at
2018 Taiwanese local elections Local elections were held on 24 November 2018 in Taiwan, to elect county magistrates (city mayors), county (city) councilors, township mayors, township councilors and chiefs of village (borough) in 6 municipalities and 16 counties (cities). Elec ...
. He has served previously on the Taipei County Council and as a member of
Legislative Yuan The Legislative Yuan () is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China (Taiwan) located in Taipei. The Legislative Yuan is composed of 113 members, who are directly elected for four-year terms by people of the Taiwan Area through a ...
elected by
Taipei County New Taipei City is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality located in regions of Taiwan, northern Taiwan. The city is home to an estimated population of 4,004,367 as of January 2023, making it the most populous city in Taiwan, a ...
.


United Kingdom

Parachute candidates are common in the
Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace ...
. The
Westminster system The Westminster system, or Westminster model, is a type of parliamentary system, parliamentary government that incorporates a series of Parliamentary procedure, procedures for operating a legislature, first developed in England. Key aspects of ...
historically emphasizes party discipline over responsiveness to constituencies. For example,
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...
, who was
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister Advice (constitutional law), advises the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, sovereign on the exercise of much of the Royal prerogative ...
for over eleven years, represented
Finchley Finchley () is a large district of north London, England, in the London Borough of Barnet. north of Charing Cross, nearby districts include: Golders Green, Muswell Hill, Friern Barnet, Whetstone, London, Whetstone, Mill Hill and Hendon. It is ...
during her parliamentary career despite living in Chelsea, London. As far back as the 1900s, the then-dominant
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...
were parachuting candidates from
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
into
safe seat A safe seat is an electoral district which is regarded as fully secure, for either a certain political party, or the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both. With such seats, there is very little chance of a seat changing h ...
s in
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, including
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
, elected MP for Dundee in 1908. This led to a formal protest movement, called Young Scots, arguing that objections to carpet-baggers were based on a lack of understanding of the political will of their constituents on matters like
Home Rule Home rule is the government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governan ...
. A 2013
YouGov YouGov plc is a international Internet-based market research and data analytics firm headquartered in the UK with operations in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. History 2000–2010 Stephan Shakespeare and Nadhim ...
survey found that support for a hypothetical candidate rose by 12 points after voters learned that his opponent had moved to the area two years earlier and by 30 points if the opponent lived 120 miles away. The percentage of local MPs rose, according to Michael Rush of the
University of Exeter The University of Exeter is a research university in the West Country of England, with its main campus in Exeter, Devon. Its predecessor institutions, St Luke's College, Exeter School of Science, Exeter School of Art, and the Camborne School of ...
, from 25% in
1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
to 45% in
1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...
; Ralph Scott of
Demos Demos may refer to: Computing * DEMOS, a Soviet Unix-like operating system * DEMOS (ISP), the first internet service provider in the USSR * Demos Commander, an Orthodox File Manager for Unix-like systems * Plural for Demo (computer programming ...
calculates that 63% are local. According to surveys, public trust in all MPs has decreased, but trust in the local MP has increased, making pre-existing connections to seats more critical. Election advertisements emphasize local connections more than they mention the candidate's party or its leader. Such a change produces MPs who are more attentive to local issues, but may be detrimental to Britain's
first-past-the-post voting First-past-the-post (FPTP)—also called choose-one, first-preference plurality (FPP), or simply plurality—is a single-winner voting rule. Voters mark one candidate as their favorite, or first-preference, and the candidate with more first- ...
system designed to create broad parties that party whips stabilize.


Labour Party

*
Luciana Berger Luciana Clare Berger, Baroness Berger (; born 13 May 1981) is a British politician who served as Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree from 2010 to 2019, and a Member of the House of Lords since 2025 ...
was a middle-class Londoner parachuted into the north-western working-class safe Labour seat of
Liverpool Wavertree Liverpool Wavertree is a borough constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1997 and every election since has been won by a Labour Party candidate. It has been represented by Paula Barker since 2019. An earlier co ...
. She was heavily criticised for having no connection to the Wavertree constituency or
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
when she first ran in
2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
. When a local radio station asked her basic questions about the culture of Liverpool, she could not answer them and, during the selection process, she stayed at the house of retiring local MP Jane Kennedy rather than resettle in the area. Some figures in the media suggested that she was only selected for the seat because of her close connections to the family of former Prime Minister
Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He was Leader ...
. Berger won the seat in 2010 with a slightly larger majority than Kennedy had in
2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
, against the national trend, then retained it in
2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
and
2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
. After joining the Liberal Democrats in 2019, she unsuccessfully contested the
Greater London Greater London is an administrative area in England, coterminous with the London region, containing most of the continuous urban area of London. It contains 33 local government districts: the 32 London boroughs, which form a Ceremonial count ...
seat of
Finchley and Golders Green Finchley and Golders Green is a constituency created in 1997. It is represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Sarah Sackman of the Labour Party. Boundaries The constituency covers Finchley, Golders Green, Childs Hill, Te ...
at the 2019 general election. She chose to stand there because of the seat's large Jewish population and
Remain Remain may refer to: * ''Remain'' (José González EP) * ''Remain'' (KNK EP) *''Remain'', poetry book by Jennifer Murphy, 2005 *''Remain'', album by Tyrone Wells, 2009 *''Remain'', album by Great Divide, 2002 *''Remain'', album by Them Are Us ...
vote, as well as her affinity towards living in London and choice to raise her children there rather than in Liverpool. *
Roy Jenkins Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead (11 November 1920 – 5 January 2003) was a British politician and writer who served as the sixth President of the European Commission from 1977 to 1981. At various times a Member of Parliamen ...
was so unfamiliar with
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
, he later wrote, that on his arrival to campaign at the 1982 Glasgow Hillhead by-election its skyline was "as mysterious to me as the minarets of Constantinople" to Russian troops during the Russo-Turkish War. Campaigning as a
Social Democrat Social democracy is a Social philosophy, social, Economic ideology, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achi ...
, Jenkins won the election, taking the seat from the
Scottish Conservatives The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party (), known as Scottish Tories, is part of the UK Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party active in Scotland. It currently holds 5 of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons of the United Ki ...
. *
David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...
and
Ed Miliband Edward Samuel Miliband (born 24 December 1969) is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero since July 2024. He has been Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for D ...
were selected to fight safe Labour seats in
northern England Northern England, or the North of England, refers to the northern part of England and mainly corresponds to the Historic counties of England, historic counties of Cheshire, Cumberland, County Durham, Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland, Westmo ...
,
South Shields South Shields () is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England; it is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. The town was once known in Roman Britain, Roman times as ''Arbeia'' and as ''Caer Urfa'' by the Early Middle Ag ...
and
Doncaster North Doncaster North is a Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, constituency in South Yorkshire that was created in 1983. The seat has been represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons of the Parliamen ...
respectively, despite being
Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
graduates who were born, raised, and living in London while working as political advisers. David was elected for the first time in
2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
, and Ed in 2005. Both would later serve as ministers under Tony Blair and
Gordon Brown James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. Previously, he was Chancellor of the Ex ...
and fight against each other in the 2010 party leadership election. *
Shaun Woodward Shaun Anthony Woodward (born 26 October 1958) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 2007 to 2010. A former television researcher and producer, Woodward began his political career in the Conservativ ...
, who was first elected as a
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
MP in 1997, defected to the Labour Party in 1999. He faced much criticism from former Conservative colleagues, particularly when he refused to resign and fight a by-election. In 2001, Woodward did not contest his safe Conservative seat of
Witney Witney is a market town on the River Windrush in West Oxfordshire in the county of Oxfordshire, England. It is west of Oxford. History The Toponymy, place-name "Witney" is derived from the Old English for "Witta's island". The earliest kno ...
in Oxfordshire, instead being selected for the similarly ultra-safe Labour seat of St Helens South in Merseyside. During the early days of the 2001 general election campaign, Labour minister
Chris Mullin Christopher Paul Mullin (born July 30, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player, executive and coach. He is a five time NBA All-Star and four time All-NBA Team member. He is also two-time Olympic Gold medalist and a two-time ...
wrote in his diary on 11 May about "speculation about which members of the New Labour elite will be parachuted into one of the safe seats being vacated by MPs retiring at the last moment." On 14 May, Mullin described Woodward's selection at St Helens as "one of New Labour's vilest stitch-ups" and wrote that listening to him campaigning as a Labour candidate "made my flesh creep."


Conservative Party

* Prior to the 2024 general election, Richard Holden, who was serving as the
Chairman of the Conservative Party The chairman of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom is responsible for party administration and overseeing the Conservative Campaign Headquarters, formerly Conservative Central Office. When the Conservative Party (UK), Conservatives are ...
, represented the marginal seat of North West Durham, which he won in the 2019 general election with a slender 2.4% majority. His seat was abolished by the
2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies The 2023 review of Westminster constituencies was the most recent cycle of the process to redraw the Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, constituency map for the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The new constituency b ...
and he was later selected for the safe Conservative seat of Basildon and Billericay after the Conservative Party imposed him as the candidate against local opposition; Holden was the only contender allowed to stand on the shortlist. This led to accusations of carpetbagging, especially after it emerged that, in January 2024, he described himself as "bloody loyal to the north-east", and denied he would seek a safer seat. Ironically, Holden went on to win by a mere twenty votes. *
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He wa ...
's selection for the ultra-safe Conservative seat of Henley in 2001, after the party's central office parachuted him in,J Cheng-Morris (6 December 2019
"Arrogant in the extreme: The story of Boris Johnson's general election victory in 2001"
Yahoo! News Yahoo News (stylized as Yahoo! News) is a news website that originated as an internet-based news aggregator by Yahoo. The site was created by Yahoo software engineer Brad Clawsie in August 1996. Articles originally came from news services such ...
: Retrieved 30 September 2023
was described by senior local Tory Mike McInnes as "a disaster for the integrity of modern politics" and "arrogant in the extreme", Johnson having "blustered in with no knowledge about the constituency". McInnes commented that he could not see him supporting a hypothetical local old lady who was having problems with her housing benefit and asked, "Are people going to feel comfortable going to him?" Likewise, Johnson's main rival, Liberal Democrat candidate Catherine Bearder said: "In Henley, you can put a blue rosette on a donkey and it will get elected. And that's what happened in 2001... He clearly just wanted to be an MP. As soon as London came up, he was off out."


Minor parties

* Douglas Carswell defected from the Conservatives to the
UK Independence Party The UK Independence Party (UKIP, ) is a Eurosceptic, right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. The party reached its greatest level of success in the mid-2010s, when it gained two members of parliament (both through defect ...
in 2014, in turn displacing the existing UKIP candidate for the forthcoming general election in his constituency of Clacton (UK Parliament constituency), Clacton. As Carswell was living in London then, the former UKIP candidate accused him of carpetbagging. * George Galloway was expelled from Labour in 2003 over Iraq War-related controversies and, despite previously representing Glasgow Kelvin (UK Parliament constituency), Glasgow Kelvin, stood for the Respect Party in the Greater London constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow (UK Parliament constituency), Bethnal Green and Bow at the 2005 United Kingdom general election, 2005 general election, where he used his opposition to the war and the local Muslim population to gain the seat from Labour. Constitutional Affairs Minister David Lammy said he was a carpetbagger who had whipped up racial tensions. After standing down from Bethnal Green and Bow in 2010, he stood for Respect at a 2012 Bradford West by-election, 2012 by-election in the West Yorkshire seat of Bradford West (UK Parliament constituency), Bradford West, another constituency with a high local Muslim population. Galloway made a point of not drinking alcohol and again gained the seat from Labour. He lost Bradford West in 2015 to Labour's Naz Shah. As an
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
, he unsuccessfully contested Manchester Gorton (UK Parliament constituency), Manchester Gorton in 2017 and West Bromwich East (UK Parliament constituency), West Bromwich East in 2019. He attempted to be selected as the Reform UK, Brexit Party candidate in the Cambridgeshire seat of Peterborough (UK Parliament constituency), Peterborough in a 2019 Peterborough by-election, 2019 by-election but the party selected local businessman Mike Greene. Having formed the Workers Party of Britain, Galloway returned to parliament at the 2024 Rochdale by-election in which there were a variety of problems with the major-party candidates and he ran a campaign Criticism of Israel, critical of Israel over its role in the Gaza war. * In 1974, Enoch Powell left the Conservative Party and joined the Ulster Unionist Party, Ulster Unionists, becoming the Westminster MP for South Down (UK Parliament constituency), South Down, despite having no Ulster connections. In 2002, when ex-Tory MP Andrew Hunter (British politician), Andrew Hunter (who had family and Orange Order connections with Northern Ireland) joined the Democratic Unionist Party, the UUP accused him of being a carpet-bagger. It was pointed out the criticism was "a little hollow" considering the UUP's prior acceptance and promotion of Powell.


United States


U.S. Senate

* Scott Brown (politician), Scott Brown was the unsuccessful Republican nominee in the 2014 United States Senate election in New Hampshire, despite having represented Massachusetts in the Senate just 2012 United States Senate election in Massachusetts, two years prior. Brown's family had previously resided in New Hampshire, however, and he owned a vacation home in the state. * Hillary Clinton was elected in the 2000 United States Senate election in New York after buying a house in Chappaqua, New York, Chappaqua in 1999. Born in Illinois, Clinton had previously lived in Arkansas and Washington, D.C.; she served as a senator until she resigned in 2009 to become United States Secretary of State. * Robert F. Kennedy was elected to the U.S. Senate in New York in 1964 United States Senate election in New York, 1964, serving from 1965 until Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, his death on June 6, 1968. He had previously resided in his home state of Massachusetts. His opponents accused Kennedy of merely using the state as a convenient launching pad for the presidency. * Alan Keyes, a resident of Maryland, was the unsuccessful Republican nominee in the 2004 United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004 Illinois United States Senate election. Notably, he had previously run unsuccessfully for the Senate in Maryland in 1988 United States Senate election in Maryland, 1988 and 1992 United States Senate election in Maryland, 1992. * Mehmet Oz moved from Cliffside Park, New Jersey, Cliffside Park, New Jersey to Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, several months prior to the primary of the 2022 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania.


U.S. House of Representatives

* Kat Abughazaleh, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Congress in Illinois's 9th congressional district in the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois, 2026 Democratic primary election. Abughazaleh moved to Chicago from Washington D.C. in July 2024 and did not vote in Illinois in the 2024 Illinois elections, 2024 general election. At the time of her announcement, she did not live in Illinois's 9th congressional district, having only registered to vote in Illinois's 7th congressional district a month before her announcement. * Eli Crane was elected in 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona, 2022 to serve as the U.S. representative for Arizona's 2nd congressional district, while he resides in Oro Valley, Arizona, Oro Valley, which is in Arizona's 1st congressional district. The majority of Crane's district is on the northern side of Arizona, while he resides in the southern areas of the state. * Trey Hollingsworth moved from Tennessee to Indiana in September 2015. He ran as a Republican to represent Indiana's 9th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and won the election in 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana, 2016. * Alex Mooney, a former member of the Maryland Senate and former chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, moved to West Virginia in 2013 after previously exploring a run in Maryland's 6th congressional district. Less than two years after moving, he was elected in the 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia, 2014 general election to represent West Virginia's 2nd congressional district. Mooney unsuccessfully 2024 United States Senate election in West Virginia, ran for the US Senate seat held by Senator Joe Manchin. * Morgan Ortagus, a former United States Department of State, State Department spokeswoman, moved from Florida to Tennessee only months before announcing her candidacy for the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee#District 5, 2022 Republican primary in Tennessee's 5th congressional district. Ortagus was ultimately disqualified due to the Tennessee Republican Party's bylaws requiring candidates to have voted in three of the last four Tennessee Republican primaries.


See also

* List of democracy and elections-related topics


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parachute Candidate Elections Elections terminology Political metaphors referring to people