Robert Jenrick's Tory leadership campaign has been boosted after deputy chairman Matt Vickers quit his role to back him as Rishi Sunak's successor.
The Stockton West MP said the former immigration minister was the “stand out” candidate after he chaired the northern Tory leadership hustings in North Yorkshire on Saturday.
It comes as six senior Tories are battling it out to replace Mr Sunak following last month's general election defeat.
Mr Vickers said: “On Saturday I chaired the northern hustings of the leadership contest. All the candidates were good, but Robert Jenrick stood out.
“This process really matters – we have a mountain to climb and need a leader that can bring us back in one term.
“Having heard him up close, I firmly believe that that's Robert.
“He had the clearest diagnosis of why we lost, and set out the most compelling vision for how we change, rebuild and win again.
“Of course, he is a strong communicator, but he crucially has the credibility we need to earn back the public's trust.”
Mr Jenrick, who quit the Home Office over concerns emergency Rwanda legislation did not go far enough, has emerged as a standard bearer on the right of the Tory party.
He is calling for the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights to get a grip on small boat Channel crossings.
Mr Jenrick is vying to be Mr Sunak's successor as Tory leader against his colleagues James Cleverly, Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat, Mel Stride, and Priti Patel.
MPs will vote off two of the contenders so the final four go to the party's conference in Birmingham next month to make their leadership pitch.
Conservative MPs will then eliminate two more, with the final pair going to a ballot of Tory members with the winner announced on November 2.