The LNP 'only have themselves to blame' for their election drubbing because they kept 'an unpopular leader … just because she was a woman'.

So says former veteran Gold Coast LNP MP Jann Stuckey.

Ms Stuckey's shock resignation in February, amid claims she was mentally ill after being bullied by her own party, sparked a by-election in the seat of Currumbin which was narrowly won by the LNP's Laura Gerber.

Ms Gerber is ahead in a tight battle with Labor's Kaylee Campradt for the marginal seat.

But Mrs Stuckey's GP husband Richard, who stood as an independent and attracted almost 6 per cent of the vote, is directing preferences to Ms Campradt who is also expected to benefit from a strong Greens vote.

The Stuckeys, who resigned from the LNP in disgust earlier this year, were slammed by party deputy Tim Mander on election night for 'political treachery'.

But a defiant Ms Stuckey told The Courier-Mail on Sunday that the LNP 'can't blame us for the overall result'.

"The LNP only have themselves to blame for being so lazy and keeping an unpopular leader who couldn't cut through, just because she was a woman," she said

"Tim Mander showed his true colours with his comments about us.

"I won Currumbin despite the party, who could only win one in six elections I ran for. I never had help or big announcements."

Ms Stuckey said many Currumbin locals had told her that she was like an independent 'which I take as a compliment'.

"And if the LNP had supported Voluntary Assisted Dying Richard may not have run at all as VAD would have had bipartisan support," she said.

Originally published as 'Lazy' LNP kept Frecklington 'just because she's a woman'