To the surprise of no one, Doug Ford has announced that he will seek the leadership of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party.
Ford has been dropping hints about seeking public office numerous times since he was defeated by John Tory in the Toronto mayoral race three years ago.
In fact, it was widely speculated that Ford would challenge Tory again this fall, but the implosion of the Ontario PC party has changed all that.
We’re not sure at this point if there is even going to be a leadership race before the election, but if there is, Ontario PCs need to consider if Ford is right for them.
The election platform that the Tories cobbled together for the June 7 vote is much more moderate than past elections.
It talks about a carbon tax, budget deficits and LGBTQ rights — to name a few — and frankly, it doesn’t sound like an agenda that Ford would champion.
If the Tories abandon their moderate platform and choose Ford as leader, it sends a strong message that the party will take a hard right turn and channel the ghost of the Common Sense Revolution of the 1990s.
But, as some PCs consider such a move, they may want to ask former leader Tim Hudak how that worked for him.
Bill Kelly is the host of The Bill Kelly Show on 900 CHML.
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