The Liberal Party has selected its three Illawarra candidates for next year's state election, but will not announce the successful trio until later this week.
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Kiama MP Gareth Ward told the Mercury the candidates had been endorsed by the party on Saturday, saying only one person was nominated in each electorate.
Mr Ward said he was unable to reveal the identities of his running mates until the group had been officially ratified by the party executive, but revealed the vote had gone "as expected".
The Mercury has previously reported 21-year-old race car driver Cameron Walters as the frontrunner to take on Labor powerhouse Noreen Hay in Wollongong and accountant Mark Jones as the likely candidate for Shellharbour.
It is understood the Liberals' third hopeful to challenge Ryan Park for the seat of Keira, will be party stalwart Phillip Clifford.
Mr Ward said he'd asked the party executive to expedite the ratification process, and hoped to announce the names mid-week.
"We will have a strong team in the Illawarra with a great story to tell," he said, adding he hoped to see wall-to-wall members from Heathcote to the South Coast.
"In our time in office we've put more teachers in schools, more police on our streets and more nurses in our hospitals. The Liberal government is proud of its record investment in the Illawarra."
Shellharbour MP Anna Watson welcomed the announcement a Liberal opponent had been selected to challenge her, saying there was no greater honour than to be endorsed by your own political party as a candidate for election.
"I look forward to a clean and fair campaign based on the issues and our respective political positions," she said.
Ms Watson reiterated her priorities for the March election, which include starting the construction of the Albion Park Rail bypass; upgrading Shellharbour Hospital; restoring the Lake Illawarra Authority and securing more funding for roads in West Dapto.
The Greens announced their candidates last month. Councillor Peter Moran stands in Shellharbour, Wollongong Undergraduate Student Association president Mitchell Bresser contests Wollongong, environmental campaigner Natasha Watson stands in Heathcote, and Elena Martinez, wife of Greens councillor George Takacs challenges Keira.
