This time next month, Tauranga resident Brendan Horan could find himself sitting on the benches of Parliament instead of standing on the beaches of Mount Maunganui.

The former television weatherman has two ways of making it into the Beehive in this month's general election.

Tauranga electorate candidate Brendan Horan.

As well as being the New Zealand First candidate for the Tauranga electorate, Brendan is also number six on the NZ First Party list.

This means he will make it into Parliament if the party gets more than five per cent of the party vote, or another candidate wins an electorate.

'I am comfortable with that. I know the amount of work that I have done leading up to this election. I am looking forward to the challenge.”

Brendan he been standing on Mount Maunganui beach looking out at the grounded Rena ship in the distance when he went home to find out he was number six on the list.

'It is not something I really worried or thought about – if I was 33 or 36 on the list I would still be working just as hard; it is always a surprise to find out where you are on the list.”

Politics is not something Brendan always pictured himself doing and it was not until an operation on his leg in 2005 that he took notice of what political parties were really offering.

'I was working in television in 2005, I met all of the politicians that came through.

'Up until that time I believed every politician cared about New Zealand, but after meeting them that belief was shattered.

'I had an operation on my leg shortly after and couldn't work for three months I went through all of policies for each party and New Zealand First stood out.”

Brendan decided to join the New Zealand First Party in 2007 and ran for the East Coast electorate in 2008, which was won by National's Anne Tolley.

He then put himself forward as candidate for the Tauranga electorate in November 2010.

The electorate seat of Tauranga has previously been dominated by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters who held the seat from 1984 to 2005, before being beaten by National's Bob Clarkson.

Winston was defeated in the 2008 election by National MP Simon Bridges.

Brendan says he is lucky to have the experience of Winston Peters behind him and does not feel intimidated by his lengthy standing in Tauranga.

'Winston has 33 years of experience and it was a great honour to bestow on me the seat of Tauranga.”

'I am very lucky that Winston has shared his knowledge with me and I will be taking that with me to Parliament.”

In the campaign for the Tauranga electorate seat Brendan says one of the biggest challenges has been trying to engage the public.

'It has been a very challenging campaign, there has been a lot of focus on the Rugby World Cup so people haven't really been getting out to meet the candidates.

'I have been out on the streets meeting and talking to people.”

'I believe that Tauranga can be a bright and vibrant city and it needs robust representation to achieve that.”

Described on his website as 'Mr Personality”, Brendan says he is a 'loving, caring and responsible New Zealander.”

Brendan lives in Mount Maunganui with his wife Miranda and two children Lailani, 5, and Kiaha, 10.