Rudd wins over audience, for now August 28, 2013 - 9:40PM The audience cast its vote and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd emerged the winner after a leaders' debate with Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. But in the words of one woman who gave Mr Rudd her vote on the night: "I still have 10 days to think about it and change my mind." Mother-of-three Rhoda Merchant, 46, asked a question about education funding for independent schools during Wednesday night's debate, held at the Rooty Hill RSL in the Labor heartland of western Sydney. Usually a Christian Party voter, Ms Merchant said Mr Rudd narrowly won her over on the night. "The thing is politicians will just say things when they are campaigning and then when they are doing the job it doesn't eventuate," she told AAP after the debate. Of the 105 "undecided voters" selected as the audience for Wednesday's forum, 102 voted, with 45 awarding Mr Rudd victory, 38 backing Mr Abbott and 19 abstaining. "That was one sample, and the biggest sample will be on September 7," senior Liberal Christopher Pyne told AAP after the forum, insisting that Mr Abbott was the stronger and more positive of the two leaders. After the speech Mr Abbott's campaign bus, bearing giant pictures of his head and the slogan "a stronger Australia," was needed to jump start a coach carrying Mr Rudd's media entourage.