olivia chow said Monday she will seek a second term as Toronto mayor, ending months of speculation over whether she would run again. She told reporters at city hall, "I registered today to say one thing to the people of Toronto: I am in your corner. I’ve always been and always will be."
Chow added, "There’s more to do," and said, "But there’s plenty of time to campaign in the fall. Right now, I’m going to spend my time serving the people of Toronto (as mayor)." The declaration puts her in the race for the Oct. 26 vote, where Coun. Brad Bradford has already said he will run to take her job.
Brad Bradford challenge
Bradford has held campaign-style events for nearly a year, making him the most visible challenger named in the available facts. In a release on Monday, he said he was "delighted that Mayor Chow has finally recognized that campaigning on the public dime is wrong."
He added, "This election is not about who loves Toronto. We all do," and, "It is about what we are willing to accept." Those remarks frame the opening argument in the race: Chow is asking for another mandate, while Bradford is trying to turn city management into the central issue.
Doug Ford at Ontario Place
Premier Doug Ford praised Chow at a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Ontario Science Centre at Ontario Place on Monday. He said, "Well, I really like the mayor," and, "I know exactly where Olivia’s coming from. She knows where I’m coming from."
Ford also said he would not endorse any candidate in Toronto’s mayoral race. ABC Toronto said Torontonians are "frustrated" that "too many basic things no longer feel like they work," citing worsening congestion, perceptions of safety, the affordability crisis and residents feeling like "City hall is focused on ideology over execution."
Olivia Chow and 2023
Chow won the 2023 byelection to replace former mayor John Tory and became the first progressive elected Toronto mayor in 17 years. A Liaison Strategies poll released earlier this month showed she could coast to victory if the election were held then, but the new challenge now is whether Bradford can turn his long-running campaign into a broader contest before Oct. 26.
