Creech's account in a book by Ross Meurant. A Judicial Recount, the initial step, saw Boorman's lead reduced to one vote. Creech then launched a full Electoral Petition on two counts. First, that a number who had voted in the election were not qualified to vote in the Wairarapa constituency on various grounds (including failure to qualify under the residency rules), and second, that Boorman had violated laws that set a limit on election spending by candidates. Boorman in his counter challenge also challenged a number of votes on various grounds. In all, more than 200 votes were reviewed by the Electoral Court. The process took eleven months to complete. On 12 July 1988, the Electoral Court found in Creech's favour on both counts in its judgement on the Wairarapa Election Petition, and he took his seat immediately with a majority of 34 votes (9994 to 9960). Over his period as MP for Wairarapa his majority significantly increased from this narrow initial victory, increasing to over 7 thousand votes by the . Cabinet minister When the National Party won the 1990 election, Creech was appointed to the Cabinet of the fourth National government as its most junior member. Initially, his two main roles were Minister of Revenue and Minister of Customs. Over the three terms of the National (and after the 1996 Election the National-led) government he held a number of other Cabinet portfolios, including Minister of Education, Minister of Health, Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Minister of Courts, Minister of Employment, and Associate Minister of Finance. Creech chaired the cross party committees of MP's that developed the Superannuation Accord and the Employment Accord. Creech supported Jenny Shipley's December 1997 party-room coup against Prime Minister Jim Bolger, and Creech became Deputy Leader of the National Party on 8 December 1997. Deputy Prime Minister In August 1998, the coalition between the National Party and New Zealand First broke down, and New Zealand First's Winston Peters was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister. Shipley appointed Creech to fill the vacancy. However, barely a year later, the Shipley government was heavily defeated by Labour. Prior to this election, Creech had stood aside from contesting the Wairarapa Electorate as the National Party candidate and became a List MP. Under National Party rules, his position as Deputy Leader automatically put him in the second position on National's Party's Party List, assuring his reelection as a Member