THE likely ascension of Anthony Albanese to the federal Labor leadership on Monday will set the scene for one of the more unusual battles in our political history.
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Mr Albanese is expected to be the only name on the ballot when nominations close on Monday to fill the vacancy created by Bill Shorten's resignation following last weekend's election loss.
And he is a very good option for Labor. While Mr Albanese represents an inner Sydney seat he comes from a working class, immigrant background and represents the traditional Labor Party of Chifley and Curtin.
And while Mr Albanese comes from the party's Left faction, he has not risen to prominence through the union movement in the way his predecessor did. That's an important distinction in the minds of many swinging voters.
Rather, Mr Albanese has taken the Kevin Rudd approach to building a profile, appearing regularly on morning television where he engaged in good-natured political banter with the now-retired Liberal minister Christopher Pyne.
But now he must set his sights on Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a battle for the hearts and minds of voters.
Rather, in what might be a first for Australian politics, Mr Morrison and Mr Albanese will set out to win over voters with their sheer ordinariness.
Curiously, though, that is unlikely to be a battle for the political high ground.
Rather, in what might be a first for Australian politics, Mr Morrison and Mr Albanese will set out to win over voters with their sheer ordinariness.
Both will present themselves as regular Joes from the Sydney suburbs who love nothing more than a beer and a pie at the footy.
Albo is a Rabbitohs man while ScoMo is the Sharks' number one fan, and over the next three years we can expect to see plenty of photos of both of them standing on the hill cheering on their teams.
Neither man is Bob Hawke or John Howard, but both will be looking to take a leaf from the political playbook of the former PMs whose greatest skill was an ability to accurately read the mood of the public without relying on opinion polls to tell them what people were thinking.
But Mr Albanese and Mr Morrison will both be found out if their good bloke routine is not genuine.
Kevin Rudd tried to create a public persona that was at odds with the private reality and it all ended in tears.
ScoMo and Albo will be hoping for a happier ending.
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