Angus Taylor, Sussan Ley, Dan Tehan all in line for the new top job at the Coalition

There’s no time to lose. After Peter Dutton’s historic double loss — fumbling both the election and his seat — the Coalition will start the search for their new leader.

The hunt for a new Liberal leader will begin as early as Sunday, with Peter Dutton set to become the first opposition leader in history to lose his seat.

Senior Liberals were preparing to hold meetings about the leadership if Mr Dutton did not make substantial progress towards a majority government.

Coalition MPs believed that the party room would automatically grant him a second term if he picked up 10 – almost half of the 21 seats needed to form government.

But it became clear Mr Dutton was in trouble in his own seat of Dickson early on Saturday night, as Labor’s Ali France lead the primary vote.

It is standard procedure for the party to automatically spill the leadership at the first party room meeting following the election.

Ahead of Saturday’s poll, backbenchers were already naming four potential candidates that were likely to put their hand up for the top job if Mr Dutton did not reclaim enough ground.

Angus Taylor is a frontrunner for the role. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

ANGUS TAYLOR: NEXT LIBERAL PARTY LEADER?

Angus Taylor, the party’s opposition treasury spokesman, is a frontrunner for the role as he has long had ambitions for the top job and has economic credentials.

Raised in rural NSW, Taylor – who turns 59 in September – has been a member of parliament since 2013, representing the seat of Hume.

After graduating from the University of Sydney, he went on to attend New College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.

Mr Taylor was an assistant minister in the Turnbull government in 2015 before being promoted to Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity in 2017, before holding the energy portfolio.

He supported Peter Dutton in the 2018 Liberal leadership spills and is a member of the National Right faction.

But he is expected to face criticism over the economic policies and messaging, especially over cost of living, that the Opposition took to the election.

Sussan Ley. Picture: Getty Images

Dan Tehan. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

ANDREW HASTIE

Mr Taylor is expected to face competition from former special forces soldier Andrew Hastie, who is the opposition defence spokesman, has long been touted as a future Liberal leader.

The rising star has been the Member for Canning in WA since winning the 2015 by-election.

Hastie, who turns 43 in September, attended The Scots College in Sydney.

He was noticeably absent from the election campaign, which was believed to be over his stance over women in combat roles.

SUSSAN LEY AND DAN TEHAN

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley and senior Victorian Liberal Dan Tehan – who was also facing a close contest in his seat – are also considered potential candidates that may throw their hats in the ring.

Asked on Saturday night whether he would consider a tilt at the leadership, Mr Tehan said he “hadn’t thought about it”.

Originally published as Angus Taylor, Sussan Ley, Dan Tehan all in line for the new top job at the Coalition