Factional tensions in the Victorian Liberal Party have reignited over a failed attempt by a group of 'Young Turks' to oust an MP aligned with Opposition leader Matthew Guy.

At a preselection battle for the rural seat of Narracan on Saturday, 65-year-old incumbent Gary Blackwood fended off a challenge by 25-year-old rival Stephanie Ross, a conservative pro-life campaigner and the partner of controversial Liberal numbers man Marcus Bastiaan.

Preselection candidate Stephanie Ross, Brighton Liberal James Newbury, and party numbers man Marcus Bastiaan. Credit:Twitter

The result is a victory for Mr Guy, who went to significant lengths to shore up support for Mr Blackwood – including announcing plans, one week before today's contest, to build a new West Gippsland hospital should the Liberals win government at the next election.

However, some view it as yet another failure by the Liberals to embrace the gender targets Mr Guy himself set last year, and a blow to the party's attempts to renew and regenerate ahead the 2018 Victorian election.