Insiders say Mr Clarke has gone off his food and has been praying hard in his office to survive next Saturday's preselection against a Melbourne Cup field of other candidates supported by the born-again ``soft'' right leader, his former employee, the MP for Mitchell, Alex Hawke.

The Federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, has been unable to rein in Mr Hawke, who has been engaged in a tit-for-tat turf war to control the branches of the North-West and beyond.

Barry O'Farrell has also backed David Clarke but the numbers appear to be running against the soldiers of the far right.

David Elliott, Chief Executive Officer, Civil Contractors Federation (NSW), former Australian Hotels Association boss and monarchist, is backed by Mr Hawke, a former rival. Mr Elliott appears to be ahead by about 60 to 30 votes, insiders say.

Supporting Mr Clarke are federal right-wing MPs Nick Minchin, Eric Abetz, Kevin Andrews, Connie Fierravanti-Wells, Cory Bernadi, Mathias Cormann and Helen Coonan.

But, some say cleverly, Mr Elliott with support from Liberal heroes like John Howard Brownyn Bishop and retired Army general, Peter Cosgrove has outfoxed Clarke by also choosing local references.

He has them from a local publican, chemist and postmaster and many other rank-and-file members who won't be told how to vote by politicians from outside the region.

The factional struggle between the two hard men of the NSW Right the 60s-something Clarke and the 30s-something Hawke is rapidly becoming a crisis with no signs of a let-up.