The biggest political news of the day goes to Naftali Bennett and the latest recruit for his New Right party. The addition of Alona Barkat at the number three spot of the New Right has the potential to have a serious political impact and is a perfect example of why Bennett left the Jewish Home. Here’s what you should know and why Barkat matters.

First, who is she?

Alona Barkat is the husband of high-tech businessman Eli Barkat. Her brother-in-law, ormer Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat, finished ninth in Monday’s Likud primary.

Barkat is the owner of the Hapoel Beer Sheva soccer team. When she bought the team, they were in playing in Israel’s second division. She transformed Hapoel into one of the top teams in Israel, winning three consecutive championships and beating the likes of Inter Milan in Europe.

Why is she valuable to Bennett?

Barkat has big electoral potential. She is absolutely adored in Beer Sheva, a city that votes mostly Likud. Barkat herself could be enough to move over tens of thousands of votes to the New Right in Beer Sheva alone. If that can have a ripple effect in cities with similar demographics, the New Right could be looking at a double-digit finish.

Barkat is of Mizrahi descent, she is secular, and her political agenda will likely center on social issues, giving the New Right the ability to appeal not just to Likudniks but to other center-right voters as well, in particular, Orly Levy’s Gesher and Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu. This can be seen in the video Bennett posted introducing Barkat.

Barkat is also the exact reason Bennett and Shaked left the Jewish Home party.

In the 2015 elections, Bennett tried to pull a similar move with Israeli soccer legend Eli Ohana. Yet just a few days after joining, Ohana was forced out amid an onslaught of criticism from party members furious at Bennett’s choice of an outsider who did not represent the faction’s religious beliefs.

Only time will tell if Barkat can help Bennett and Shaked boost their mainstream appeal. Look to see if the New Right reach double digits in polls during the next few weeks as an indication.