Mrs Hughes is realistic about her chances against Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who is contesting his fifth election as Member for New England.

"I'm running because I believe that the voters of the New England electorate are interested in a progressive choice," she said.

"Obviously Barnaby is the conservative choice, there may be other conservative choices, but I believe as a Labor candidate, I'm the progressive choice, and there are people looking for that choice."

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The Labor stalwart surprised many with a solid showing at last year's council elections.

Despite being preselected last by the party, she was one of the last candidates eliminated in the race for the seventh seat on Tamworth Regional Council.

A volunteer councillor with the Australian breastfeeding association, and long-term member of the community, Mrs Hughes said she puts a local face on an often-misunderstood political party.

"I think I'm widely known. I've helped probably thousands of families with their babies in my volunteer work," she said.

Mrs Hughes will be running her federal campaign in her spare time while working full time, but still hopes to make an impact on the race.

She identified water security and the environment as her main campaign issues.

Mr Joyce won reelection in 2019 with 54 per cent of the vote, meaning he didn't require preferences. Labor's Yvonne Langenberg won just 12.75 per cent of the primary vote.

The next federal election must be held by May.

The 2022 election is shaping up to be one of the smallest races in terms of the number of candidates in decades, with just four known candidates vying for the seat.

United Australia Party has endorsed Cindy Duncan as their candidate for the New England.

The Greens have committed to run, but haven't yet named a candidate.

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