Iain Rhind-Tutt was elected to the Senate in December 2640. He served in the Senate for 25 years before becoming leader. He was elected leader overwhelmingly by the Senate caucus. On November 13, 2665, Rhind-Tutt, at the age of 66, announced that he would resign on November 29, 2666, following a leadership election. Only two candidates declared their intention to stand for the leadership. Shadow Defence Minister Malcolm Nelson and Shadow Treasurer Brandon Turnbull were the only candidates. Rhind-Tutt later admitted that he could not decide who to vote for until the actual voting began.