Who could be Toronto's next mayor?

A look at potential contenders in the 2010 mayoral race, and who is out

Globe and Mail Update

David Miller's decision not to run in the next mayoral election has blown the race wide open for contenders. Here's the full list on the city of Toronto's web site and our look at who may be on next year's ballot, and who won't:

John Tory at a mic at the CFRB studios Aug. 20.The former provincial Conservative leader has his own prime-time show.

John Tory: The Toronto lawyer - who has held posts ranging from provincial MPP to head of Rogers Communications - announced Jan. 7 that he will not be running for mayor of Toronto.

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Adam Giambrone: The Toronto Transit Commission chief - and youngest member of city council - announced in January he was running for mayor.

Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail

Deputy premier George Smitherman helps clean up garbage on July 14 as part of a new volunteer effort during the Toronto strike.

George Smitherman: The former Ontario deputy premier formally stepped down as MPP for Toronto-Centre on Monday, paving the way for a mayoral run he made official in November after months of denials. Mr. Smitherman has been a prominent MPP since 1999, and has roots at City Hall as campaign manager and chief of staff to former mayor Barbara Hall. During his political career Mr. Smitherman served as energy and infrastructure minister and health minister.

Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail

Giorgio Mammoliti, Toronto city councillor for Ward 7 York West

Giorgio Mammoliti: The councillor for York West officially filed his papers to run for Toronto Mayor in early January. Mr. Mammoliti has been an active politician since 1990, and at one stage of his political career served as a representative for Yorkview under former NDP premier Bob Rae’s government. If elected, he intends on tackling Toronto’s financial problems by proposing to open the city’s first casino.

Simon Hayter For The Globe and Mail

Joe Pantalone

Joe Pantalone: The current Deputy Mayor, and city councillor for Ward 19 Trinity Spadina, is confirmed to run. Mr. Pantalone has spent the last 29 years as a municipal politician.

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Former Liberal national director Rocco Rossi was the first to file his papers with the Toronto election office on Monday.

Rocco Rossi: The right-leaning centrist, and Liberal backroom strategist, was the first to file his papers for next year’s election. Mr. Rossi has confirmed he will leave his post, after 11 months, as national director of the federal liberal party to run for mayor.

Kevin Van Paassen / The Globe and Mail

City Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, is photographed in council chambers at City Hall in Toronto, Ont. Sept. 26/2007.

Denzil Minnan-Wong: The councillor for Don Valley East has been a long-time opponent of Miller's in city council and has long been considered as one of several conservative representatives who might run in 2010. When Mr. Tory say he wouldn't run, Mr. Minnan-Wong wouldn’t comment on how how it affects his own potential mayoral candidacy, which he has hinted at but not yet made official. But he said Mr. Tory’s decision not to run leaves a right-wing gap in the race.

"There is a need for a fiscally conservative candidate, and a candidate who represents the suburbs. ... Most of the other candidates are downtown candidates.”

For The Globe and Mail

Councillor Karen Stintz is shown at Toronto city hall on Oct. 16 2007.

Karen Stintz: The Eglinton-Lawrence councillor said that John Tory’s announcement doesn’t change her decision from several months ago not to run for mayor -- at least not this year.

“The reason I made my decision is because I wanted to focus on different things, and focus on issues of the election, and focus on my ward,” she said. “That hasn’t changed, so my decision hasn’t changed.”

GLOBE AND MAIL

Michael Thompson: The Scarborough councillor decided over the holidays not to run for mayor, an option he had been mulling previously. He said Jan. 7 that although John Tory’s decision not to run is a loss for the city and leaves a gap in the race’s centre-right political spectrum, it doesn’t change his mind about a mayoral bid.

“I certainly believe that there’ll be time for me as this opportunity unfolds,” he said. “My decision wasn’t about whether John was running or George or others were running; my decision was based on what I thought my personal commitment would be. And I have just decided there are some other things I’d like to pursue.”

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Adam Vaughan: Mr. Vaughan, 48, won his riding's seat when Olivia Chow stepped down in 2006 to run as a federal MP for the New Democrats.

Rafal Gerszak for The Globe and Mail

Rob Ford in his office in this 2008 file photo.

Rob Ford: The long-time Etobicoke North councillor says there was no way he would run if John Tory was in the race. But now that the former Progressive Conservative leader is out, Mr. Ford is seriously considering a run. He says he has to consult with his family (he has two young children -- a four-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son) and expects to make a decision by the end of the month.

"I’ve considered running for a long time. And I wouldn’t run against john. ... But now that John isn’t running, it opens up the field.”

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John Tory reacts to Miller's decision to step down

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The former rival of the Tornoto Mayor discusses a possible run for City Hall

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John Tory reacts to Miller's decision to step down

The former rival of the Tornoto Mayor discusses a possible run for City Hall

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