Preferences are set to play a crucial role in whether Mr Wynne retains the seat, and the absence of a Liberal candidate was shaping as a major blow to his chances. But Mr Tran has confirmed he will place Mr Wynne fourth on his how-to-vote card and the Greens last, which could boost Labor’s hopes of holding the seat. Planning Minister and Richmond incumbent Richard Wynne. Credit:Jesse Marlow In his campaign leaflet, Mr Tran, who has served as Vietnamese Community in Victoria vice-president, promises to uphold Liberal values even though he has not been preselected by the party. He said he believed he could win over Liberal voters, who made up almost 21 per cent of first preference votes in 2014.

Richmond and Brunswick are the two electorates where Labor is seen as most vulnerable to the Greens, holding the seats by 1.9 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively. Although Mr Tran will run without the party’s formal blessing, he said his candidacy would do no harm to the Liberal brand. “I’m not running against any other Liberal candidate.” Mr Tran said he had put independent candidate Herschel Landes in the No. 2 slot on his how-to-vote card. Mr Landes, president of the Bridge Road Traders Association, said the Liberals’ absence had opened a space for him to contest the seat. He described himself as progressive on social issues (he supports the medically supervised injecting room in the area) but said law and order was also a pressing concern and he would campaign for a stronger police presence in the electorate.

Independent candidates would shape the outcome in Richmond, Mr Landes said. He is yet to release his own how-to-vote card, but about a week ago tweeted his support for Mr Wynne before announcing his own candidacy. “Negotiations are now under way over preferences,” he said. Mr Landes said issues around Bridge Road and Victoria Street were also on voters’ minds. Fiona Patten’s Reason Party candidate and supervised-injecting-room campaigner Judy Ryan is also contesting the seat and said she would preference Mr Wynne ahead of Greens candidate Kathleen Maltzahn. Ms Ryan conceded she had only an outside chance of winning but hoped her community profile would boost her campaign.