Smitherman Jumps
Ontario's Deputy Premier will be making a run for the Toronto mayoralty:
So far, it sounds like John Tory and Glen Murray will be his biggest competition.
After months of speculation, George Smitherman is making the move to municipal politics.
Ontario's deputy premier and energy minister confirmed in an interview Sunday that he is leaving Dalton McGuinty's cabinet to run for Toronto's mayoralty in November 2010.
So far, it sounds like John Tory and Glen Murray will be his biggest competition.
Labels: George Smitherman
posted by calgarygrit at
8:55 p.m.
7 Comments:
I can't believe I am writing this but I'll be supporting John Tory. Smitherman's ego can't fit inside Lake Ontario. He is nothing but a showy carpetbagger. No substance, no responsibility. Having him look the other way while eHealth spun out of financial control will be repeated when he's mayor.
By
SmithermanSucks, at 10:07 p.m.
It's his to lose.
And it could happen.
Barbara Hall was way ahead of everyone else for most of 2003 - and in spite of George (her campaign manager and former chief of staff) and the Liberal establishment (minus WK) solidly behind her - came a distant third to Dennis Miller and John Tory.
George would have been the frontrunner as Dalton's replacement - with Bryant and Gerard out of provincial politics.
It will be interesting who replaces George as MPP. I say it is your aforementioned Glen Murray.
By
MississaugaPeter, at 10:22 p.m.
I'll be voting for Smitherman.
By
Unknown, at 12:29 a.m.
Well, we've thus far avoided mentioning councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, who actually has said he's running, but is all kinds of wacky. And not funny-wacky, but serious-wacky.
Leaving aside Peter's intriguing theory on who the next MPP could be, with Smitherman running I just can't see Glen Murray being able to raise enough money to make a serious push. I guess I could see him running an "ideas" campaign and then dropping out before the final stretch, though. By all reports he's eager to go for it, but that might change now that George is un-out of the race.
I'd say it's a dead cert that a member (hell, maybe even two) of Miller's executive will probably enter the race and run from the left. Joe Pantalone? Shelley Carroll? Adam Giambrone would be stupid to try now, but far be it for that to stop him.
If those three were to take a pass, I think it's pretty much inevitable that the movers and shakers in the public sector unions will draft some loyal old-line NDPer from somewhere and get them on the ballot. From their perspective, it's worth taking a wing and a prayer of a shot at 30% of the vote in fractured race and getting a ideologically-pure victory mostly by just turning out the party faithful. I saw Marilyn Churley's name surface somewhere on a speculative list of names, and the prospect of hearing that woman on TV for six months triggered muscle spasms. So for all our sakes, I hope they find an equally ineffective but less irritating option.
Finally, I think Tory is far from a sure thing. It would be one thing back when the scenario was Tory v. Miller in a referendum on the latter's past 7 years, but him against Smitherman means scrapping for the same centrish votes, not having the benefit of the "change" card, and, to my eyes, having a somewhat slimmer shot at victory. John Tory is probably better than any of us at dealing with failure, but assuming he's remotely psychologically balanced, he can't want to rush headlong into the prospect of more of it.
If Tory doesn't run, there'll definitely be a harder-right candidate, probably one of that gang of useless right-wing turds on the current council.
By
Tom, at 12:44 a.m.
He bailed a little too late.The scandals of the McGuinty gov't are going to follow him as they should.
By
Anonymous, at 8:58 a.m.
John Tory is probably better than any of us at dealing with failure, but assuming he's remotely psychologically balanced, he can't want to rush headlong into the prospect of more of it.
Ha! That's one of the best lines of the year.
Tory still has a good chance of winning, even against Smitherman - he'd probably have a better chance with a strong left-wing candidate, like you mentioned.
By
calgarygrit, at 9:13 a.m.
My preference would be for Mayor Adam Giambrone (current TTC chair). However, he has far fewer resources than either Smitherman or Tory, so this may not be realistic.
By
leonsp, at 9:44 a.m.
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