John Tory will now contemplate his future as a private citizen, a tireless advocate for the charitable sector, and of course a father and a husband.
News of John Tory’s official departure from the race to become Toronto’s next Mayor this morning seems to have caught my contacts over at Queen’s Park and within the Toronto municipal political scene off guard, as he was clearly seen as a consensus candidate that centre and centre-right support could turn to in unison.
Even some friends who are David Miller supporters and traditionally aligned with the centre-left in all three realms of Canadian politics privately acknowledged Tory’s previous momentum and appeal in serveral conversations over the past few months.
Why you may ask was a bumbling and ineffective former Conservative leader and already once unsuccessful mayoral candidate already considered as such a hot political property? Simply put…Tory was a guy with a personality that just about everyone liked and respected. They might not have agreed with his politics, but they always appreciated the man. Point and case? My friend Warren Kinsella, who as a Liberal strategist and war room leader for Premier Dalton McGuinty was ruthless with a brilliance that few could match and from which Tory’s electoral prospects could never recover. Enter the municipal realm, however, and Tory would have had a loyal general that would have gone all out for his campaign.
So with the “nice guy” out of the race, what happens to the new focal point of the mayoral campaign (some might say only serious candidate) whose straight-forward style often rubs people the wrong way?
Major outreach and a substantial branding overhaul, if he and his advisors have any smarts.
Smitherman should follow the words of wisdom from another famous George - "Serenity Now!"
Dont get me wrong. From my limited experience in working with George back in the opposition days of 1999 and 2000, I really liked the guy. Personable, off the cuff, passionate, and viciously partisan – all qualities that as a young politico I was quite impressed by. Plus, I tend to gravitate towards the Jean Chretien/Larry Campbell type of brashness in leadership.
But that isn’t necessarily the kind of reputation that lends itself well to a city-wide electorate that collectively elects the Mayor to office.
Tory had attracted Liberals like Warren and disaffected provincial Liberals upset with Smitherman for abandoning the ship at such a difficult time for the McGuinty government.
Then of course there is Rocco Rossi, whose entry into the race came first, fresh from serving as the National Director for the Liberal Party of Canada. Rossi is far from a candidate of threat, but he too will be able to pull some loyal Liberal supporters into his sphere simply for his affiliations to the federal party.
This is a constituency that Smitherman and his team must make a priority to reach out to. Humility, acknowledgment of objections, and substantial offers for roles on the campaign would be a great start for these types of efforts.
I have a hard time picturing another name entering the race at this point, as Tory’s broad appeal is not something that will be easily replicated. That being said, maybe the multi-year dream of getting Pinball Clemons into the mix is now something that Tory supporters are looking to once again attempt.
Smitherman would be wise to keep any assumption of his ascension to the throne as low key as possible, and instead focus on immediately releasing tangible platform ideas to define what his campaign will be about.
The image needs to be softened, his reasons for running need to be defined and properly articulated, and a vision for Toronto must be released in a slow and steady progression.
Then, and only then, wil Smitherman be able to turn a corner and overcome some of the long-standing opinions that exist about him and his demeanour.
This is no longer simply about winning for Smitherman. This is now also about managing the responsibilities and challenges associated with being the front-runner.
