Timmy has problems:
Ten London-area Tory party members have signed a motion to amend the PC party constitution to allow for a leadership vote to take place. Many party members have expressed dismay over the Tories’ poor byelection showing last week and feel Hudak’s low personal popularity ratings have a lot to do with that.
You can get ten members of any political party to argue for anything. Dig deep enough and you'll find ten card carying members of the Ontario Tories who want to nationalize the banks. Once you dive deep into the electoral hinterland you'll find no shortage of eccentrics. While the rank and file Tories I know are disappointed in Timmy, none of them seems keen to getting rid of the lad. After all, who would you replace him with?
Scanning the caucus page I'm stumped. I couldn't identify most of these people in a police lineup. I'm not sure all that many of their constituents could either. Here is a brief list of the "famous" members of the Tory Team:
Christine Elliot - A sometime leadership candidate and long-time wife of Jim Flaherty, the federal minister of finance. Considered too moderate by the red meaters and too old by everyone else. About as close to an establishment candidate as you'll get in any potential leadership race.
Randy Hillier - The party's designated "crazy libertarian." It would be nice to have a premier who uses the word "freedom" without it getting stuck in his throat. It ain't happening. At 55 he's getting into the "old range" in the political world. His record of activism would also be an issue. Leftists can have all sorts of activist skeletons in their closet. Right wingers can't. Even if that activism was merely to defend their own property.
Frank Klees - While certainly the most plausible leadership candidate, having the required polish and gravitas, his 62 years and record as an ex-Harris cabinet minister are huge liabilities. His previous leadership bids, and odd attempt to become speaker in 2011, have likely generated a fair amount of bad blood in the Tory fold.
Lisa Macleod - Young, feisty and reasonably photogenic. Not too well known outside political circles, she could probably hold her own in a debate with Andrea Horwath. She might also be able to hold the slippery Kathleen Wynne to account. Downside: She sometimes comes across as shrill and is, how to put this delicately, a tad overweight. I know that's a stupid thing to say, but unfortunately larger women are considered slovenly in our culture. There is also, of course, a double standard. An equally well insulated man would probably curry somewhat less disfavour. Visuals matter in politics, even when their stupid.
Jim Wilson - A Mike Harris-era retread, it's likely that the unions recall his efforts as Health Minister in the mid-1990s. It's also likely that they recall those efforts in an extremely negative light. The last of the relatively senior ex-Harris ministers in the legislature, now that Elizabeth Witmer is comfortable ensconced over at WSIB, Wilson would likely be dismissed as a relic..
So there you have it folks. That's the caucus. A collection has beens, might have beens and you never know someday beens. It's a stew that the electorate is unlikely to swallow with good grace. For that alone Timmy Hudak is likely to stay in the Big Chair until at least the next election.
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