Deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie has ruled out switching to the lower house, ending speculation she might run for the Victorian seat of Indi at the coming federal election.

The Nationals will run a candidate in the north-east Victorian seat but, despite moving her electorate office to the heart of Indi, Senator McKenzie said she wanted to see out her term in the Senate until 2022.

“It’s a role I cherish and adore and want to continue in,” the Senator told the Bendigo Advertiser on Monday.

It was vital the chosen Nationals candidate for Indi had “honesty and integrity”, Senator McKenzie said.

“I know the capacity is there in Indi,” she said.

“I’m always encouraging strong political leaders to continue that process and take the next step.

“Local is always best – you buy local, you support local and you should be local.”

Independent Cathy McGowan won Indi in 2013, defeating long-serving Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella with a strong grassroots campaign. Ms McGowan announced earlier in January that she would not contest the next election.

Indi is set to be a four-cornered contest with Ms McGowan’s anointed successor Helen Haines (chosen by the Voices 4 Indi community group that was behind Ms McGowan’s campaign), the Liberals’ Steve Martin and Labor’s Eric Kerr, along with the Nationals representative.

-AAP