Toronto mayoral candidate Chris Alexander has pulled out of the race just weeks before election day.
He made the announcement just a half hour before advance voting was set to begin in the city.
“Our path to success, it became clear to me over this weekend, was not obvious and perhaps not there at all,” said Alexander. “We thought we had a chance of catching up faster, it didn’t happen.”
He added he wanted to make the decision before advance voting started so “that all Torontonians have a chance to vote for someone who is going to see their campaign through to the end and that’s why I’m stepping aside.”
Alexander has been polling a distant third in recent surveys behind incumbent Olivia Chow and Councillor Brad Bradford.
In his announcement, he said he would not be endorsing any of the candidates and encouraged voters to read all the platforms and find the candidate that most aligns with you.
He was set to appear in a debate tonight and Wednesday evening. The debate at Toronto Metropolitan University will now just be Chow and Bradford. You can watch the debate live at 7 p.m. on CityNews 24/7.
He previously served as a Conservative Member of Parliament for the constituency of Ajax-Pickering from 2011 to 2015 and in former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet as the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada for two of those years.
In a press conference, Chow thanked Alexander for coming forward and contributing good ideas to the election campaign.
“On this election, the choice is very clear. Do we move forward and build an even more affordable and caring city and safer city or do we go backwards to the bad old days where there was cut and slashing and neglect of public spaces,” said Chow.
She also urged people to come out and take advantage of advance voting which Chow did on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Bradford released a statement, saying he wished Alexander and his family all the best in the future, adding being a candidate for mayor isn’t easy.
“The choice in front of this city is now a clear one. Four more years of the same, or change. And you don’t have to wait until October 26 to make it. Advance voting opens today. If you want change, go vote for it early,” read the statement from Bradford.
Advance voting started at 10 a.m. and runs until Oct. 11. Election day is slated for Oct. 26.
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