Mike Baird's election victory on Saturday night, despite the almighty scare campaign on electricity privatisation, shows that most of all, voters want a leader they can believe in.

Such men or women have been in short supply in recent years. Especially in NSW politics. And particularly now, given the plummeting trust in the federal Abbott government.

Mr Baird says a win will give him a mandate for the partial lease of the electricity network. More than that, his win places great responsibility on him to not let the public down.

Political mistrust in NSW reached an all-time high in 2011, after a revolving door of Labor premiers and corruption scandals. Barry O'Farrell led the Coalition to victory four years ago on the promise he would clean up politics – but failed. The Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry into political donations last year led to Mr O'Farrell's stunning resignation, and the suspension of 10 Liberal MPs.

Mr Baird's squeaky clean image overcame this breach of trust. He donned a hard-hat a year ago and showed his government was getting on with the job of building infrastructure. He abandoned his predecessor's "small target" politics, and unveiled a big vision for NSW. His community leadership throughout the Lindt cafe siege  was well received.

What has been recognised by political veterans on both sides of the divide is that Baird has the rare ability to communicate genuineness to the public – through the television camera, on the street, in the town hall or in private meetings. People believe they are hearing the real Mike Baird.

The inability to stay real once she landed the top job plagued former Labor prime minister Julia Gillard, and has bedevilled Tony Abbott. Kevin Rudd soared with voters then crashed.

Mr Baird can now add political courage to his armoury.

He chose to take an unpopular policy to the electorate, and be upfront about the consequences. He didn't flinch when the same policy, electricity privatisation, appeared to be a key factor in toppling Campbell Newman's Coalition government in  Queensland, just weeks before the NSW campaign start.

By contrast, the Abbott government is under siege  for broken election promises. Perhaps it was Mr Baird's honesty, and refusal to distance himself from Mr Abbott, despite polls showing the Prime Minister was electoral poison, that neutralised this issue in voters' minds.

The "Abbott factor", blamed for Coalition defeats in Victoria and Queensland, was unlikely to be dominant on Saturday.

Electricity privatisation, which Ipsos polling showed 62 per cent of the electorate opposed, was always going to be the major concern. Focus groups conducted for Fairfax Media showed the election would come down to swinging voters deciding whether their enthusiasm for Baird outweighed their dislike of privatisation.

Baird's win on Saturday night carries the burden of keeping the faith.