Matt Canavan enters Capricornia race to set up One Nation showdown

Nationals leader Matt Canavan has announced he will nominate for preselection in the seat of Capricornia.

The seat will be vacated by retiring LNP member Michelle Landry before the next election.

One Nation's party director James Ashby has not ruled out a run for the seat.

Nationals leader Matt Canavan has said he wants to run for the seat of Capricornia at the next election, potentially setting up a high-profile showdown with One Nation.

The senator confirmed today he will seek pre-selection for the Central Queensland seat that will be vacated by outgoing Nationals' chief whip Michelle Landry.

Senator Canavan's bid for the lower house was widely anticipated after the ABC revealed last week Ms Landry's intention to retire ahead of the next election, expected in 2028.

James Ashby, One Nation's party director and close political ally to Pauline Hanson as her former chief of staff, is also publicly considering putting his hat in the ring.

"There's going to be a real fight on for the next election," Senator Canavan told ABC Radio Capricornia today.

Senator Canavan said he needed to "step up" and take a risk by running for the House of Representatives during a "volatile" climate.

"It falls to me," he said after Ms Landry's resignation, adding he "desperately wanted" a change of government.

"I want to be on the front lines with my troops as well. I'm the leader of the Nationals.

"I just have to be there in the trenches with them."

Senator Pauline Hanson has said she herself will not run in Capricornia, and when asked about Mr Ashby's intentions, she said she wouldn't make any decisions this far out from the election.

Nationals deputy Bridget McKenzie was asked on ABC Radio National Breakfast if the move was a risk for her Senate colleague.

"In this current political environment there is always a risk running for lower house seats," she said.

"I think Matt's got a great proposition. He has delivered for that community alongside Michelle Landry for a long period of time."

She said One Nation "has made a big song and dance … of wanting to get the PM out of the lodge" and she urged the party to target Labor seats instead of Coalition-held electorates.

Senator Canavan, who lives in Yeppoon in the electorate, became leader of the Nationals in March this year, replacing David Littleproud, who stepped down.

He currently holds the number two spot on the Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNP) Senate ticket, behind Liberal James McGrath.

A successful move from the Senate to the lower house would shore up the likelihood of Senator Canavan becoming deputy prime minister in a Coalition government, and assure those in the Nationals who hold the view that their leader should sit in the House of Representatives with the other major party leaders.

Senator Canavan said he had been mulling the decision for a while after Ms Landry approached him a few months ago to signal she was considering leaving politics.

He stressed he was nominating for preselection in the seat and was not yet the candidate.

"We're a grassroots party, and whether I'm leader or whatever, I've got to go and present before the Capricornia branch of the LNP and seek their support," he said.