TORONTO – Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is closing the popularity gap between himself and Toronto area NDP MP Olivia Chow with regards to winning the next municipal election, according to a new Forum Research poll.
Survey results indicate that in a two-way race, Ford would still lose to Chow garnering 42 per cent support to 53 per cent, with five per cent of respondents identifying themselves as undecided.
But the mayor’s numbers have risen dramatically since the last poll was released on May 26 that showed him with just 36 per cent support.
“Chow is still the candidate to beat, but her margins are tightening,” said Forum Research President, Lorne Bozinoff.
The numbers are an encouraging sign for the embattled mayor who has been dealing with a series of controversies since he took office in 2010.
READ: Past legal troubles, substance abuse allegations in the life of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford
Most recently, Ford has denied using crack cocaine after allegations of a video showing what appears to be him smoking the substance was reported in the media.
Global News has not seen and cannot verify the authenticity of the alleged video.
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The Forum Research poll also included results of a three-way race between the mayor, Chow and former Ontario PC leader John Tory, with the MP getting 40 per cent support compared to 30 percent for Ford and 20 per cent for Tory.
However, a two-way race between Tory and Ford would put the former Ontario PC leader ahead with 52 per cent support versus just 35 per cent for the current mayor.
In an interview with Global News, the co-host of Global’s Focus Ontario said he has not ruled out a possible campaign for the mayorship.
“It’s an appealing job but I think it’s way too early for anybody, except the guy that’s already in the job, to be thinking about running,” Tory said.
The poll also pitted Ford, Chow and Tory in a race between city councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong and TTC Chair Karen Stintz.
Minnan-Wong and Stintz received 2 per cent and 9 per cent support respectively.
“John Tory is a compelling candidate, but Karen Stintz would split some of his core support,” said Bozinoff.
The election campaign officially begins Jan. 1, 2014, with the municipal vote set for Oct. 27.
The Forum Research telephone poll was conducted on June 25 and consisted of a sample of 1,230 Torontonians 18 years of age or older with a margin of error of +/- 3 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
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