In Nairnshire the leading interest throughout this period was that of the Campbells of Calder. Of the 20 voters on the roll in 1788, eight were said to be in the Calder interest, and three in that of Brodie of Brodie.

Pryse Campbell, whose father had represented the county 1747-54, was returned unopposed in 1761. At the election of 1774 the family interest was given to Cosmo Gordon, the lawyer, who had purchased the estate of Kinsteary from James Sutherland in 1763. The opposition offered by William Pulteney was feeble: he was not present at the election, received only two votes, and did not pursue his petition to a hearing. When Gordon was appointed a baron of the Exchequer in 1777, John Campbell, son of Pryse Campbell, was returned unopposed.

In 1784, though the Campbells were supporters of the Coalition, there was only a token opposition, James Brodie voting for himself against Alexander Campbell, Pryse’s second son.1 But when Campbell died in November 1785 and his brother George was put up as candidate, Alexander Brodie, with the full support of Administration, was able to defeat him, by nine votes to seven; and Campbell’s petition was rejected.