Doug Ford's PC leadership ambitions leave Tories split

"I can honestly say I wouldnt rule that out right now."

Eleven little words from failed Toronto mayoralty candidate Doug Ford, suggesting he could vie for the Ontario Conservative Party leadership,have sent shock wavesthrough the party.

• ANALYSIS | John Tory ends Rob Ford's reign over Toronto
• Doug Ford mulling bid for Ontario PC leadership
• Olivia Chow not certain what next step will be
• Toronto election: John Tory elected mayor

Ford is the brother of Toronto's outgoing mayor, Rob Ford. He took over his brother's campaign after the mayor was diagnosed with cancer.

Doug Ford didn't win Monday's election, buthe threw a real scare into John Tory, the eventual winner, with a second-place finish that was an awful lot closer than many had expected.

Ford's 330,000 votes was a respectable showing for someone who inherited the campaign late and whose "retail politics" skills are nowhere near as well-honed as hisbrother's.

Behind the raw numbers, something even more important: the "geography" of where Ford beat Tory, who clearly won "tony" Toronto.

Ford captured areas of the city where people are strugglingandfeel left out people who are socially and fiscally conservative and prepared, as well, to separate Rob Ford and his missteps from his brother.

Doug Ford can and does connect with a lot of people who see him as their champion against what hecalls "the elites" likeJohn Tory and Premier Kathleen Wynne, a message that resonates inside and outside Toronto.

Ford also believes unlike the candidates already in the PC leadership race that only he can take on Wynne and her government and bring the Tories back to power back to the days of Mike Harris. Hisfather, Doug FordSr., was a backer of Harris and friend to the late Jim Flaherty, who served in the provincial cabinet and then moved to Ottawa to become the federal finance minister.

Ford's boast that only he can bring down the Liberals is seen privately by many Tories inside and outside of Queen's Park as "pretty rich" for someone who until now has only "threatened" to run provincially, but who backed out of the June election after he was quietly told the "welcome mat" that was once there for himhad been lifted.

Fast forward to the present, however, andthere are Conservative members of the legislature who want the mat put back, believing Fordwould have a "real shot" at winning the leadership over the five already declared candidates who generate a bit of a yawn from Conservatives looking for a new leader and a new direction.

Ford a 'polarizing figure'

Some Toriesare privately worried by the prospect of a Ford candidacy.

So far, though, caucus and party members are only prepared to talk privately no name attribution about Ford.

One member of the legislature, told of the prospect of a Ford leadership run, responded by saying: "Doug Ford? Oh my God."

Another source, outside the legislature, had a blunt response and a laugh: "Are you [deleted]kidding me?"

He and others believe Ford would be a "polarizing figure," heading a party thats been "at war" with various groups over the past decade and a party that must change that approach if its to enjoy electoral success in urban, not just rural Ontario.

Butthen there are others, who, like the people in some parts of Toronto on Monday, think Fords the answer.

If Ford runs, his candidacy would put him up against Christine Elliott, widow of Jim Flaherty, whoas a federal cabinet minister stood by the Fords through thick and thin.Flaherty never wavered in his support andwas concerned about the Ford family in general and Rob Ford in particular, urging him to seek help for his drug andalcohol issues.

That Ford would even consider derailing Elliott, now the perceived front-runner way out ahead of other candidates in recent polls speaks volumes about his desire for the political spotlight denied him at Toronto City Hall on Monday.

It is also a belief that he or members of his Ford family have a kind of "divine right" to govern somewhere: municipally orprovincially.

Ford saidhis final decision is still weeks away.

The clock is ticking. The deadline to enter the PC leadership race is January 30, 2015.

But, right now, Ontario Conservatives have their fingers crossed: some who want Ford in the race and others who hope he goes back to running the family label business.