Former Malcolm Turnbull adviser Alice Thompson has decided to withdraw from the contest for Tony Abbott's seat of Warringah to back Olympian Zali Steggall.
Ms Thompson announced on January 22 she would stand in the blue ribbon seat, held by the former prime minister for 25 years, as an independent at the federal election.
However, she has now told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age she intends to pull out of the contest instead of undercutting Ms Steggall or splitting the vote.
"There is no point in undercutting Zali here, I want all my volunteers and supporters in Warringah to get behind her. She's got this," Ms Thompson said.
She will instead run in the adjoining seat of Mackellar, where she lives.
Alice Thompson is a former adviser to Malcolm Turnbull. Source: KPMG
Ms Steggall welcomed Ms Thompson's move.
"There has been a great concern that too many independents would split the vote and diminish the impact of each one of us, so the fact that Alice is leaving this to me is a win for the campaign for change, and a win for Mackellar," she said.
"It means there is now a tidal wave of moderate independent women who are fed up with what the incumbents have been doing in government and, more importantly, what they have not been doing."
Ms Thompson is hoping to topple moderate Liberal Jason Falinksi in Mackellar, which was once held by Bronwyn Bishop.
"Yes, Jason is a moderate however he always votes with his party and they are the problem," Ms Thompson said
"I can be far more effective as a crossbench independent in achieving change for my electorate than a junior Liberal sitting in opposition."
