Katherine Deves drops out of race for vacant NSW Senate seat

Controversial ex-Liberal candidate Katherine Deves has explained why she dropped out of her new bid for politics.

Controversial former Liberal candidate Katherine Deves has dropped out of the internal party race for the Senate vacancy caused by Jim Molan’s death.

Ms Deves announced on Sunday she had withdrawn after a lot of “soul searching” and “sleepless nights” — less than a week after she first said she would vie for the upper house spot.

She told Sky News she had withdrawn in order to prioritise her work advocating for female-only app Giggle which is being sued by an Australian transgender woman for alleged discrimination.

“Ultimately it came down to a question of priorities as to whether I nominated for the Senate and I just decided at this time it just wasn’t the right time for me,” Ms Deves said.

“There’s a strong field of candidates here all bringing something different to the table.

“It’s going to be very hard-fought and I have full faith that the Liberal Party selectors will choose the right person to carry on Jim Molan’s legacy.”

Former Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves, pictured with ex-prime minister Tony Abbott, has dropped out of her next bid for politics. Picture: Jeremy Piper

The biological sex advocate entered the spotlight during last year’s federal election campaign after former prime minister Scott Morrison hand-picked her to run for the Liberals in Warringah.

Ms Deves espouses staunchly anti-transgender beliefs and the controversy over her activism, especially comments she made about transgender children, is viewed by some as having contributed to the Coalition’s defeat at the ballot box.

Her resignation from the Senate preselection race comes just six days after she announced on Sky News she would have a tilt for the seat vacated by Senator Molan — also a conservative.

“I think that what happened to me in the federal election, I can demonstrate to the people that I would represent, that I would go in there fighting,” Ms Deves reportedly aid on Monday.

Several candidates have nominated for the Liberals’ fourth NSW Senate spot, which became vacant after Senator Molan died in January one year into his six-year term.

The open field of candidates reportedly includes people who belong to both the party’s conservative and moderate factions.