The Auckland mayoral race heated up last night with the third-ranked candidate John Palino pulling out and offering John Tamihere an easier path to Town Hall.
In what's now essentially a two horse race, Mr Tamihere presented himself as an agent for change, and Mayor Phil Goff as a status quo bureaucrat beholden to Wellington.
For his part, Mr Goff painted himself as the candidate for integrity, reliability and honesty, while attacking Mr Tamihere for being what he called a "failed cabinet minister".
Matthew Theunissen was there to watch the sparks fly.