Mr Lodwick, who ran in 2019, secured 20 per cent of the primary vote but lost out to the Nationals’ Damian Drum, who won the seat with 70.3 per cent of the two-party preferred vote to Labor’s 29.7 per cent.
At the 2016 election, which was the last to feature Nationals and Liberal candidates, Labor polled 14.98 per cent of the primary vote.
The 2022 election is already shaping as a three-way contest between the Nationals’ Sam Birrell, Liberal Steve Brooks and independent Rob Priestly.
Mr Lodwick said he hoped to make it an even tighter contest.
“It is a good base (the 2019 result), I want to win; I think the coalition has dropped the ball on looking after people and they don’t deserve another go,” he said.
“I found it quite invigorating last time, I enjoyed talking to people about their problems and the possible solutions.”
At the end of the 2019 campaign Mr Lodwick thanked supporters and posted “see you in 2022” on his website.
Despite the early promise to return, the campaign in Nicholls started without a Labor candidate.
“It was just timing,” Mr Lodwick said.
While Labor faces an uphill battle to win the traditionally conservative seat, Mr Lodwick said voter demographics changed over time and he was the only clear left-of-centre candidate.
“There is an appeal there for a lot of people who worry about their health, education, transport and jobs,” he said.
“There are a lot of people who are struggling enough that they want a representative that will look after individuals not corporations.”
13°C