Mr Lyons, a former Launceston General Hospital spokesman and surgical business manager, has declared his interest in contesting Bass as an endorsed Labor candidate but the official preselection process is not likely to begin until after the March state election.

A decision by Mr Lyons's faction, Labor Unity, the party's right faction, not to contest the Southern safe Labor seat of Denison - which will be vacated by long-standing member Duncan Kerr - appears to have paved the way for a deal between the right and the left.

ALP state secretary John Dowling said Mr Rudd and the party's national executive were interested in all federal preselections.

"They are keen to get the best possible candidate they can to work in the Federal Parliament," he said.

But a Labor source said recent "dramas" in Bass - which culminated in Bass Labor MHR Jodie Campbell announcing in October that she would not recontest her seat at the next election - meant Mr Rudd would take particular interest in the preselection.

"It will be a prime ministerial decision," the source said.

Mr Lyons said on Thursday he would not run for preselection unless he felt he had the support of all Labor factions and could win.

He said he was not fazed by potential involvement by the Prime Minister.

"He's the leader of the team so that would be up to him ... it doesn't make any difference one way or another to me," he said.

While many within the party, including Mr Dowling, agree that Mr Lyons would be a good candidate, federal Labor is travelling well, and that could potentially attract other candidates to contest the preselection.

State Bass Labor candidate Michelle Cripps previously indicated she would be interested in a tilt at the federal seat, but is hopeful she won't have to give it further consideration.

"Hopefully I'll be happily ensconced in (retiring Bass Labor MHA) Jim Cox's seat and won't have to think about it," she said.

"I'm not even thinking about it (federal preselection) at this stage - I'm really focused on state."

Federal Liberal candidate for Bass and former television newsreader Steve Titmus said regardless of whom Labor preselected, he was looking forward to the election, which is due this year.

"I look forward to debating the issues that particularly affect our community with whoever the Labor candidate is for Bass," he said.