Claim: Reg Boorman unsuccessfully stood for the Labour nomination at the 1980 Onehunga by-election and was selected to contest the Wairarapa electorate in 1984.
Evidence: He unsuccessfully stood for the Labour nomination at the 1980 Onehunga by-election, losing to Fred Gerbic. He was selected to contest the Wairarapa electorate in 1984, where he defeated the National Party incumbent Ben Couch.