The National Party has launched its campaign to win the Mana by-election, amid a small group of protesters.
Its candidate, list MP Hekia Parata, was accompanied by Prime Minister John Key at a cafe in Raumati South, north of Wellington, on Tuesday.
A group of about 20 local people protested against the planned Kapiti Expressway, which will form part of the Wellington Northern Corridor.
But Ms Parata says that two-thirds of the candidates in last month's local body elections supported the expressway and that people in the electorate are tired of traffic bottlenecks.
Advanced and overseas voting in the by-election begins on Wednesday.
