Chris Alexander withdraws from Toronto mayoral race

Chris Alexander withdrew from Toronto’s mayoral race on Tuesday, October 6, as advance voting began, saying he could not see a clear path to catching up with the leading candidates. His departure leaves the contest without one of its three leading contenders, weeks before election day on October 26. Alexander said he had hoped to make the race a three-way contest but concluded that was unlikely with about three weeks remaining. He said his campaign had not gained momentum despite efforts to change the race’s trajectory. He also apologized to supporters who had planned to vote for him, saying he wanted to step aside before advance ballots were cast. A Liaison Strategies poll released Tuesday placed Alexander at 9 per cent support, behind incumbent Olivia Chow at 48 per cent and city councillor Brad Bradford at 40 per cent. The poll surveyed 1,000 Toronto residents on October 3 and 4 and reported a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. The figures reflect that poll and are not independent measurements. Alexander said he would not endorse another candidate.