The New South Wales Liberals appear to have decided who will fill the vacancy on its upper house ticket, and it's not outgoing Transport Minister David Elliott.
Its state executive has endorsed the moderate faction's choice, the party's women's council president, Jacqui Munro.
The vacancy was created after upper house MP Peter Poulos was dumped from the ticket and suspended from the party over the sharing of explicit photos of a Liberal colleague.
Jostling for the position created unrest within the party, with Mr Elliott and Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons both wanting the spot after they failed to secure lower house seats.
With the vote ending up 13 to 12, the decision to endorse Ms Munro could still be challenged.
The ABC understands not all moderates voted in support.
Mr Elliott made his desire for the vacant upper-house spot clear during an interview with Nine Radio this week.
The Baulkham Hills MP announced that he was bowing out of politics last year after a redistribution of his seat's boundaries, but said he saw the upper house as a lifeline.
"As I've said all along … if there was a pathway, I'd come back. This may be a pathway," he said on Monday.
Long-serving MP Ms Gibbons was also forced out of her south-west Sydney seat after losing a pre-selection battle.
