The attraction that may prove fatal to leader's chances at polls

South Australia's Premier set to lose after ex-mistress stalked him on campaign trail

South Australians vote today in a state election that would ordinarily be a bit of a yawn for the rest of the country. Then again, a state Premier is not normally stalked throughout the campaign by a waitress claiming she had a steamy affair with him.

Mike Rann was riding high in the polls a few months ago and was expected to be re-elected. But then Michelle Chantelois appeared on the scene. Or rather, her estranged husband, Rick Phillips, did, smacking Mr Rann in the face with a rolled-up magazine at a Labor Party fundraising dinner and yelling: "Remember my wife?" Soon after, Ms Chantelois, 39, gave a television interview in which she claimed to have had sex with the Premier on his desk at Parliament House, in a car parked by a golf course, and on a yellow leather sofa at Mr Rann's Adelaide home. "I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't stop doing it," she declared. "The relationship was intoxicating. It was like a drug and I was addicted."

Mr Rann, who came to office in 2002, admitted having had a "flirty" friendship with Ms Chantelois. At the time, she was a waitress and barmaid in the dining room at Parliament House. But he denied having an affair, and claimed to have been single at the time. In fact, he was living with his partner, Sasha Carruzzo, whom he married in 2006.

He must have hoped that Ms Chantelois, having kissed, told and pocketed considerable sums of money, would go away. But she has haunted him during the election campaign. And the polls suggest voters are not impressed with his handling of the scandal. Pundits predict a hung parliament, with the conservative Liberal Party – barely taken seriously until recently – expected to make significant gains.

The situation is relatively unusual in Australia, where the media tends to be discreet about politicians' private lives. Journalists say Mr Phillips had been airing his allegations long before he confronted Mr Rann, and had even sent print-outs of his wife's telephone bills to newspaper offices.

Voters probably do not care whether Mr Rann had an affair. But it has become an issue of trust. As one commentator wrote: "It may come down to whether the Premier's colleagues and voters believe he told repeated lies to deny [the] sex."

Ms Chantelois, who claims the affair lasted from 2003 until 2005, has been playing cat-and-mouse games with Mr Rann. He was supposed to open an art exhibition in January when Ms Chantelois turned up; Mr Rann promptly cancelled his appearance.

Earlier this month, Mr Phillips was placed on a good-behaviour bond after admitting striking Mr Rann. During a televised campaign debate, Mr Rann apologised for "any distress" his friendship with Ms Chantelois might have caused her family. Ms Carruzzo spoke out in support of her husband. But it may be too late.