Already, the contest has raised awareness of the party in the city where National won the party vote in the former Labour Party stronghold of Dunedin South.
A large number of supporters are expected to attend the meeting in Sidey Hall, Caversham, tonight after 200 attended the meeting in Hamilton, 200 in Palmerston and 400 in Wellington. The MPs were talking to Christchurch supporters last night and expected to address 1000 supporters in Auckland on Sunday.
New Dunedin North MP David Clark told the Otago Daily Times he had been "swallowed up" by calls and emails about the contest and the support for each contender.
"I really value the process and it has not been restricted to just party members and supporters."
"I believe that if 10 members of the public take the time to contact me with their views, there are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of people thinking the same. The feedback is just gold."
Although the 34 members of caucus would take the vote on the leadership next Tuesday, party members were contacting MPs to express their views, he said.
Mr Cunliffe is likely to receive the majority of support in Dunedin given his background as a University of Otago graduate and his belief Dunedin should become a major centre of learning for New Zealand.
In an interview, he said research and development funding should be steered towards Dunedin.
"Its future is not in smokestacks, but in knowledge. You have a marvellous hinterland with horticulture and other land-based industries.
"My vision is for the South to be the best it can be."
Tonight, Mr Cunliffe will also tell party members the odds need to be tilted towards regional industries, and that he still cannot understand why Hillside was not allowed to tender to build rail wagons.
Mr Shearer said his message tonight would be, "We are all New Zealanders and we need to be outward-looking.
"There is a tendency after a big defeat to look inward at ourselves but we must do exactly the opposite, going against our instincts to force ourselves to look outwards."
Mr Shearer went to the University of Canterbury and said he had lost many good friends to Otago.
Politicians in town
• Labour Party leadership contenders David Cunliffe and David Shearer will address party members and supporters in Dunedin tonight.
• Prime Minister John Key will be in the city today for a private National Party function.
