Will Hodgman resignation: Who will replace the Premier

The race to replace Will Hodgman as Tasmania’s Premier is expected to be a competition between three of his ministers.

THE race to replace Will Hodgman as Tasmania’s Premier is expected to be a competition between three of his ministers — all from the north of the state.

Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff, 49, is an obvious choice as one of the candidates.

PREMIER WILL HODGMAN QUITS

A popular moderate and member for Braddon, his competence in the education portfolio and public profile suggest he would be capable of performing in the state’s highest political office.

Jeremy Rockliff was the only one of Mr Hodgman’s ministers to attend the announcement. Picture: RICHARD JUPE.

Mr Rockliff was the only one of Mr Hodgman’s ministers to attend the snap press conference called after the decision was revealed in a cabinet meeting in Hobart.

He left before journalists were able to ask him whether he was intending to throw his hat into the ring.

Treasurer Peter Gutwein, 55, is considered to be the frontrunner among the other candidates.

A proven parliamentary performer and longstanding MP for Bass has presided over a period of economic good fortune for the state — one of the most-trumpeted achievements of the Liberal’s term and a half in office. With Mr Rockliff, he forms the second leg of the trio Mr Hodgman credits with his party’s success.

The third candidate tipped by pundits is former Health Minister Michael Ferguson.

Although the 45-year-old still bearing some metaphorical scars from his long stint in the state’s most difficult portfolio, Mr Ferguson is the youngest and most conservative of those likely candidates.

GALLERY: WILL HODGMAN’S CAREER IN PICTURES

Ambitious and well spoken, he also boasts experience at all levels of government — having served on the Meander Valley Council and as the federal member for Bass.

Mr Hodgman has not endorsed a successor, so the decision will be one for the Liberal Party to decide.

Whoever it is will have a task ahead of them filling the shoes of a man who has led a sometimes fractious party for the better part of the last two decades.