Queensland Liberal National Party (LNP) vice-president Llew O'Brien has been preselected to run in the seat vacated by former deputy prime minister Warren Truss.

Mr Truss had endorsed Mr O'Brien, who is a serving police officer in Kilkivan, west of Gympie.

Wide Bay, which extends from Noosa on the Sunshine Coast to just south of Hervey Bay, is held by Mr Truss with a 13 per cent margin.

Fortescue Metals director of external relations Tim Langmead and Tourism Noosa chief executive Damien Massingham also contested the preselection, however Mr O'Brien won on the first vote.

"I don't know what the numbers were, but I had a majority first up," he said.

"It gives me confidence to know it was a solid result.

"I've been working hard for the party for the past decade. What I'm going to have to do now is adjust my way of operating and now be a candidate."

He said he would campaign on the LNP's economic management.

"I certainly don't see it as a shoo-in, it is a volatile electorate," Mr O'Brien said.

"I will be treating it like it's a marginal seat."

Mr Truss said people would grow to love Mr O'Brien and admire the contribution he could make in Federal Parliament.

"He will be a strong and powerful advocate for this area," he said.

Mr O'Brien resigned as the LNP's Wide Bay regional chairman in 2014 during a pre-selection stoush between the former member for Gympie, David Gibson, and another candidate who revealed the now retired MP had pleaded guilty to stealing in 1999.

On Saturday, shadow minister for science and IT, John McVeigh, was preselected to contest the seat of Groom for the LNP.