All five Labour MSPs who represent the north of Scotland are backing Kezia Dugdale as the next party leader.
Dave Stewart and Rhoda Grant, who represent the Highlands and islands, and north-east-list members Lewis Macdonald, Richard Baker and Jenny Marra believe she is the right person to breathe new life into the movement.
Ms Dugdale, who spent her formative years in Elgin in Moray, hopes to replace Jim Murphy who has decided to resign in wake of Labour’s disastrous General Election result which saw it lose all but one of its 41 Scottish seats to the nationalists.
The 33-year-old, an Aberdeen University law graduate, is the daughter of former Elgin High School depute rector Jeff Dugdale who is a SNP member and frequently criticises Labour on social media.
The Lothians MSP, who was elected deputy Scottish Labour leader in December, has won the support of 20 of her 38 Holyrood colleagues.
Veteran Labour MSP Ken Macintosh, who was first elected to Holyrood in 1999, has also thrown his hat into the ring and wants the party to adopt a system of US-style open primaries that would allow supporters who are not members to vote in the contest.
But Mr Stewart and Mr Baker said they would prefer it if the party did not go through a long leadership contest and just give Ms Dugdale the top job.
“I have known Kezia a long time and she represents the generational change we need,” said Mr Stewart.
“She is bright, an award winning campaigner and has the charisma and ability to turn the party around.
“Kezia has links in Moray so would bring an understanding of the north and north-east which is excellent in terms of our ability to campaign.”
Mr Baker said he was supporting Miss Dugdale because she had displayed “formidable talent” at Holyrood by holding Nicola Sturgeon to account every week at first minister’s question time.
“Given the setbacks Scottish Labour has faced in recent elections we also need leadership with a fresh vision for our party from a new generation, and that is what Kez will give us,” he added.
“She will be a leader with the strongest links to the north-east any leader has had.”
A spokesman for Scottish Labour said no one had put their names forward for the deputy leadership role to date.