Chris Alexander Withdraws From Toronto Mayoral Race
Former Conservative minister Chris Alexander exited the Toronto mayoral race on Tuesday, leaving Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Brad Bradford as the primary contenders.
Former federal Conservative cabinet minister Chris Alexander withdrew from the Toronto mayoral race on Tuesday morning, citing a lack of a clear path to victory. Alexander announced his departure at his campaign headquarters shortly before advance voting began for the October 26 election. Because he missed the official departure deadline, his name will remain on the ballot.
Alexander declined to endorse another candidate but encouraged his supporters to review the remaining platforms. His exit leaves incumbent Mayor Olivia Chow and City Councillor Brad Bradford as the primary contenders. Recent polling shows Chow maintaining a lead over Bradford, while Alexander had been polling in a distant third.
Both remaining candidates framed the race as a binary choice. Chow praised Alexander's policy packages regarding supportive housing and questioned if the city should move forward or return to a period of neglect. Bradford invited Alexander's supporters to join his campaign, arguing that the city faces a choice between four more years of the same leadership or change.
