The contest to lead the Victorian Liberal Party after Saturday’s crushing election defeat has narrowed to two candidates after Polwarth MP Richard Riordan ruled himself out on Thursday.

Former shadow attorney-general John Pesutto was able to formally join the race to replace Matthew Guy as opposition leader when he reclaimed the inner Melbourne seat of Hawthorn on Wednesday, and will go up against shadow police minister and Berwick MP Brad Battin in a ballot next week.

Liberal leadership contenders John Pesutto and Brad Battin.Credit:The Age

Riordan had put his hand up but withdrew on Thursday, throwing his support behind Battin.

“The Liberal Party needs to appeal to our metropolitan to our metropolitan growth areas and regional cities,” Riordan wrote on Twitter.

“Our leadership reset with Brad Battan, an experienced outer suburban member, will help drive this.”

Battin and Pesutto both believe they are likely to win, though Guy has told at least one colleague that he was likely to back Pesutto.

Finance spokesman Ryan Smith pulled out of the leadership race on Wednesday morning and will instead back Battin for the job.

“I have taken the decision today to withdraw my candidacy for the leadership of the Liberal parliamentary team,” Smith said.

Battin is contesting the top job for a second time after failing to overthrow then-Liberal leader Michael O’Brien in 2021.

This week Battin said the challenge for the party was to connect with voters in the outer suburbs.

The deputy position will also go to a ballot at next week’s party room meeting, with seven lower house seats still too close to call.

Pesutto, the former shadow attorney-general, from the party’s moderate faction, was defeated by Labor’s John Kennedy in the 2018 “Danslide” election but regained Hawthorn with a 2 per cent swing towards the Liberals on a two-party preferred measure, despite a challenge from teal candidate Melissa Lowe.

She conceded on Wednesday afternoon after Pesutto edged ahead.

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