The party’s state executive was voting on Gibbons’ nomination on Tuesday night. Formal nominations close with the NSW Electoral Commission at midday on Wednesday.
Gibbons was contacted but party rules prevented her from commenting.
The sitting MP lost her preselection battle for Holsworthy in south-west Sydney in November,in a major blow to her political career. She had beenurged by former prime minister Scott Morrison to run for the federal seat of Hughes,only to be convinced to give up her Canberra ambitionsso she did not put her safe NSW seat at risk.
Premier Dominic Perrottet promised her a promotion to his cabinet as a sweetener for abandoning her federal plans but that did not eventuate.
There was also a push from some within the party to back Gibbons for a spot on the Liberal upper house ticket after MLC Peter Poulos was forced to quit when it emerged he had circulated intimate photos of a female colleague.
Gibbons did not have enough support andNSW Women’s Liberal Council president Jacqui Munro was endorsed to fill the vacated upper house seat.