Gourisetty publicly expressed confidence ahead of the preselection vote, and delegates ultimately approved him as the replacement for Deeming on the ballot.

There is speculation Deeming might switch to another party, such as One Nation, though she did not seek ballot spots elsewhere in this election cycle.

Her preselection received backing from notable conservatives, including former prime minister Tony Abbott and Peta Credlin, while current leader Jess Wilson publicly endorsed her.

The preselection outcome signals a major shift for the Victorian Liberal ticket ahead of the state election and highlights ongoing tensions over Deeming’s leadership and public profile.

Deeming was suspended and expelled from the parliamentary Liberal Party but remained with the broader party, with the defamation case marking a pivotal chapter in her political arc.

She eventually returned to the party room after a leadership change in late 2024 following her suspension and subsequent expulsion.

The saga ties back to a 2023 defamation ruling against former Liberal leader John Pesutto, who was ordered to pay substantial damages for accusing Deeming of associations with neo-Nazis and white supremacists.

Last year Deeming proposed delaying Pesutto’s bankruptcy proceedings if the party bypassed rules to guarantee her preselection; Pesutto faced bankruptcy due to the defamation case.

Moira Deeming, a controversial Victorian Liberal MP, narrowly survives losing preselection after rival Dinesh Gourisetty withdraws his candidacy just eight months before the state election, enabling her to stay on the ticket.

The preselection win and its fallout occurred amid tensions and scrutiny, including a deleted social media post by Louise Staley mocking Deeming after the vote.

Scrutiny also surfaced over Gourisetty’s past, including a character reference he provided for Kashyap Patel, who was later convicted of child sex offences and received a nine-month prison term in 2024.

Deeming has been a polarizing figure for defending an anti-trans-rights rally attended by neo-Nazis, a position she maintained while condemning the neo-Nazis.