Polling for much of 2009 and 2010 showed the LNP ahead of Labor on the two-party vote, and Langbroek consistently led incumbent Labor Premier Anna Bligh as preferred premier. However, after Labor's numbers rebounded in the wake of the Queensland floods, Langbroek came under growing pressure from the LNP's organisational wing to stand down. According to "Nine News Queensland"'s Spencer Jolly, LNP president Bruce McIver was trying to engineer a by-election to get Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman, also from the Liberal side of the merger, elected to the legislature so Newman could challenge Langbroek for the LNP leadership.