the liberal campaign suffered early problems in february 2008 when a number of prominent liberal party and business figures, including popular former chief minister kate carnell and high-profile businessman and former party finance director jim murphy, relaunched the 250 club, previously a liberal fundraising group, as the independent canberra business club. the new organisation pledged to support minor party and independent pro-business candidates in the election, citing their disillusion with both major parties and the need for a third political force in the assembly. at the same time, their best prospect for winning mulcahy's seat of molonglo, the liberal candidate for fraser in the previous federal election, troy williams, withdrew.