Ben Hood and Leah Grantham have both confirmed to InDaily that they are contesting the preselection to fill Wade’s soon-to-be-vacant Legislative Council seat.

Right-aligned Hood, who is the brother of Labor MP for Adelaide Lucy Hood, is understood to be the favourite to win, having secured the support of the faction which holds a slight majority over the Liberals’ state executive.

Hood currently serves as a Mount Gambier councillor and contested the south-east parliamentary seat retained by independent Troy Bell at the March state election.

In a statement, he said that he “will be nominating for the casual vacancy”, but he declined to comment further, stating that preselections were an internal party matter.

InDaily understands Grantham, a party vice-president, has the backing of the Liberals’ moderate faction, including federal MP Anne Ruston.

Grantham is the daughter of former Liberal MLC John Dawkins, who was expelled from the party in 2020 after he ran for the prized position of upper house president without his party’s support.

In a statement, she told InDaily: “I was honoured to win state council’s support last year to be elected a party vice-president and I’m pleased to be contesting this important preselection”.

“I am again seeking the support of delegates from right across the party’s broad membership to best represent our shared Liberal values and vision in the SA Parliament,” she said.

Meanwhile, party sources say moderate Hannah March, who on Monday told InDaily that she was running, has now pulled out from the race as she no longer has the support of faction leaders.

March has been an outspoken critic of the party, tweeting earlier this month that the Liberals have a “toxic men protected by weak men & women problem”.

Liberal leader David Speirs on Monday told ABC Radio Adelaide that he wanted a woman to fill Wade’s seat, saying he would “always be encouraging women to put their hand up for opportunities in this party”.

Speirs said he would get himself into “all sorts of strife” if he publicly backed a particular candidate, but he praised former Elder MP Carolyn Power, who he described as a potential contender.

Power has not returned InDaily’s calls.

In a statement yesterday, Speirs said that he would not comment on individuals running “out of respect to the democratic process and others seeking election”.

“However, I do want to wish all nominees the best of luck throughout (the) process and may the best candidate win,” he said.

In the lower house, the Liberals currently have just two women MPs compared to Labor’s 14.

However, there are five Liberal women in the upper house compared to Labor’s three.

Speirs has set a goal of bolstering the number of women Liberal MPs in state parliament, but his preference for a woman candidate during last year’s Bragg by-election was thwarted by the party’s preselection of now MP Jack Batty.

In response, the Opposition leader in July launched a taskforce to investigate how the party can attract more women candidates.

Nicola Centofanti, the Riverland-based Liberal MLC who chairs the taskforce, said on Monday her focus on the flood emergency along the River Murray had delayed the handing down of a report outlining the taskforce’s recommendations.

“It’s crucial we do not rush this process, but it is anticipated to be complete in the coming weeks,” she said.

“The end goal is a more inclusive Liberal Party that caters equally to a diverse community and all walks of life.”

Wade, who served as health minister between 2018 and 2022 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, announced late Friday that he would quit politics before parliament resumes on February 7, saying it was the “right time for a change for the Liberal Party”.

His departure comes three years before his eight-year term expires in 2026, meaning whoever replaces him will be tasked with defending the upper house seat at the next state election.

The Liberals’ state executive opened nominations to fill the casual vacancy on Monday, with candidates having until next Monday, January 23, to nominate.

The party is yet to announce when its state council, of which there are just over 200 members, will choose Wade’s replacement.