Toronto mayoral race narrows to Chow-Bradford showdown

In the Toronto mayoral race, Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford are locked in a heated two-person matchup after Chris Alexander dropped out mere hours before a major candidate debate. Zachary Spicer, an associate professor at York University, notes that Alexander's departure clears the path for a more direct comparison between Bradford and Chow.

Alexander cited difficulty in seeing a clear path to victory, as polls indicated his support remained static since the start of the campaign. A Liaison Strategies poll revealed Alexander at 9% support, Chow at 48%, and Bradford at 40%. The debate held that evening saw Chow more confrontational towards Bradford than before, accusing him of supporting fare increases and bike lane removal.

With Alexander out of the race, Chow will need to be more aggressive in the coming weeks, while Bradford must portray the city as heading in the "wrong direction." However, the uncertainty remains regarding which candidate Alexander's supporters will choose, as his supporters could potentially sway to Bradford or Chow. Despite Alexander's departure, his name will still appear on the ballot.

Political analysts predict this final stretch of the campaign will generate increased public attention and possibly higher voter turnout.