In 2017, Coffey won Waiariki for the Labour Party against incumbent Te Ururoa Flavell by a margin of 1,321 votes.
With his win, Labour secured all 7 Māori electorates.

On 29 March 2014, Coffey was selected as the Labour Party's candidate for the Rotorua electorate at the 2014 general election.
He was also placed 30th on the Labour list.
He lost the seat to National's Todd McClay, and was not high enough on the list to get a seat in Parliament.
During the campaign Coffey had been used for the Public Broadcasting of the Opening Addresses where he held a staged interview with David Cunliffe.
In 2016 he was selected as Labour's candidate for the Waiariki electorate, then held by Māori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell.
Coffey was ranked 35th on Labour's party list for the election.
In 2017, Coffey won Waiariki for the Labour Party against incumbent Te Ururoa Flavell by a margin of 1,321 votes. With his win, Labour secured all 7 Māori electorates.
On 29 March 2014, Coffey was selected as the Labour Party's candidate for the Rotorua electorate at the 2014 general election. He was also placed 30th on the Labour list. He lost the seat to National's Todd McClay, and was not high enough on the list to get a seat in Parliament. During the campaign Coffey had been used for the Public Broadcasting of the Opening Addresses where he held a staged interview with David Cunliffe. In 2016 he was selected as Labour's candidate for the Waiariki electorate, then held by Māori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell. Coffey was ranked 35th on Labour's party list for the election.
Tamati Coffey