National Selects Former Journalist Jessica Rowe as Kaipara ki Mahurangi Candidate

National Party has selected former journalist and foreign policy officer Jessica Rowe as its candidate for the Kaipara ki Mahurangi electorate in the upcoming 2026 general election.

Rowe, who was raised on her family farm in Riverhead, has a strong connection to the community. She attended Coatesville Primary School and started her career as a journalist before pursuing a Master's degree in Global Diplomacy.

Rowe worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, focusing on issues in Asia and the Pacific. Now, she is set to run for National Party in Kaipara ki Mahurangi, promising to fix the basics and build the future.

National Party claims that they have been fixing the basics for the community, with inflation down from Labour's 32-year high and 220,000 new jobs expected to be created over the next four years. They also pledge to avoid no new taxes, unlike a potential Labour coalition that wants to tax more.

Rowe is currently a Ministerial Advisor to Hon Louise Upston and has business interests in New Zealand wool and property. She holds a strong appreciation for the challenges faced by small businesses in New Zealand.