▁to ▁ 1 4 % ▁for ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁candidate . ▁ ▁After ▁prefer ences , ▁he ▁won ▁ 8 2 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁two - c andid ate ▁vote , ▁making ▁Port ▁Mac qu arie ▁the ▁saf est ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁legisl ature . ▁ ▁He ▁retained ▁the ▁seat ▁almost ▁as ▁easily ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁winning ▁ 7 8 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁after ▁prefer ences ▁were ▁distributed . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁ten ure ▁as ▁the ▁state ▁member ▁for ▁Port ▁Mac qu arie ▁O akes h ott ▁completed ▁a ▁law ▁degree ▁at ▁Mac qu arie ▁University . ▁ ▁Federal ▁parliament ▁There ▁were ▁suggestions ▁that ▁O akes h ott ▁would ▁stand ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁candidate ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁federal ▁election ▁against ▁his ▁former ▁b oss ▁and ▁National ▁Party ▁leader ▁Mark ▁Va ile ▁in ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁Ly ne , ▁based ▁on ▁Port ▁Mac qu arie , ▁but ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁nomin ate . ▁ ▁First ▁term ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁following ▁the ▁defeat ▁of ▁the ▁Howard ▁Government , ▁Liberal ▁Senator ▁Bill ▁He f fer nan ▁approached ▁O akes h ott ▁to ▁consider ▁standing ▁as ▁a ▁joint ▁Liberal - National ▁candidate ▁in ▁Ly ne ▁should ▁Va ile ▁ret ire ▁and ▁a ▁by - e lection ▁be ▁called . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁comment ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁because ▁Va ile ▁had ▁not ▁announced ▁his ▁intent ions . ▁After ▁Va ile ▁announced ▁his ▁res ignation ▁from ▁Parliament ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁July ▁ 2 0