In the immortal words of Winston Peters, this is not his first rodeo.
Wednesday night's 1News-Verian poll had New Zealand First making a triumphant return to parliament, sitting on 5 percent of the vote.
That would earn them seven seats. National were way out in front, up one point with 39 percent of the vote, good enough for 49 seats, and paired with 10 percent and 13 seats from ACT, the two parties could govern without the help of NZ First.
Labour dropped one point to 28 percent, the Greens were down two on 10 percent, and Te Pāti Māori were steady on 3 percent, claiming three seats.
Ten percent of respondents weren't sure who they'd vote for.
RNZ political editor Jane Patterson spoke to Corin Dann.
