"There will be a mass walk out of local Liberal Party members if head office tries to impose a candidate on our community," Mr Ward said.

"Liberal Party members want the opportunity to have their say.

"We won't stand for the state office trying to impose a candidate on us again, like they did in the last election.

"That's why the campaign fell apart last time, because head office sought to impose a candidate on locals."

Even Prime Minister Scott Morrison was in a fired-up Mr Ward's sights.

"Gilmore was the only seat lost by Scott Morrison last time and I want the Liberal Party and our community to have the best possible candidate on offer," he said.

"Who the community then chooses is up to them.

"To paraphrase the great John Howard - 'we should decide who comes to this preselection and the circumstances in which they come'.

"We won't cop an imposed candidate. There must be a democratic process presented to our members.

"One of the main reasons why people join a political party is to have a say in who their local candidate will be."

The Federal Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley, who visited the West Nowra Waste and Recycling Depot on Tuesday, mentioned she is confident the Gilmore seat could be won back by the liberals.

Minister Ley said she is "not going to speculate" and that "these are matters for liberal party branches and...members" and did not weigh in any further.

Feelings in Liberal Gilmore circles are certainly still running high after the 2019 election where Grant Schultz was endorsed by the local branch, only to have that endorsement overturned, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison parachuting Warren Mundine into the seat to run for the Liberals for Gilmore.

Labor's Fiona Phillips eventually took the long held Liberal seat and holds a narrow three per cent margin.

Although no nominations have been confirmed yet and they are compiled by state office, it is understood former NSW Transport Minister and current Bega MP Andrew Constance is intending to nominate, as is Nowra-based lawyer and president of the Gilmore Federal Electoral Conference president Paul Ell, who is also standing for Shoalhaven City Council.

There is also talk of "a couple of other well-known" possible nominees as well.

A leaked email from Mr Ell for local members has "assured branch members a democratic pre-selection will be held in Gilmore".

"I want Gilmore to be a contest," Mr Ward said.

"It should be a battle of ideas between candidates for preselection and the eventual candidates between parties.

"I'm hoping we get a number of high quality nominations."

Liberal Party Gilmore nominations close November 19.

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