In mid-2015, the Conservative Party imploded after the party's founder and main backer Colin Craig resigned following allegations of an inappropriate relationship towards his former press secretary Rachel MacGregor. The scandal led to the resignation of the party's entire board and caused the Conservatives' poll rankings to drop to 0.3% in the Newshub–Reid Research survey in September 2017. The scandal was complicated by infighting within the party between Craig and rival John Stringer and an exchange of lawsuits between Craig, fellow party member John Stringer, New Zealand Taxpayers' Union executive director Jordan Williams, and the right wing blogger Cameron Slater. Following the resignation of Craig, Leighton Baker was elected as the Conservative Party's new leader in September 2015.