Rob Ford withdraws from Toronto mayoral race; runs for council
Posted Sep 12, 2014 02:41:20 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO — Rob Ford has withdrawn from the Toronto mayoral race, but there will still be a Ford on the ballot.
Papers to withdraw Rob Ford’s mayoral nomination were withdrawn at Toronto City Hall, Friday afternoon. Nomination papers for his brother, Doug Ford, to run in his place were filed shortly after.
Nomination papers were also filed for Rob Ford to instead run for city council, in the same ward he held for a decade before becoming mayor in 2010.
Rob Ford, who remains in hospital with an abdominal tumour, withdrew from the Toronto mayoral race shortly before 1 p.m.
In a statement, he said, “My heart is heavy when I tell you that I’m unable to continue my campaign for re-election as your Mayor.
“Now I could be facing a battle of my lifetime, and I want the people of Toronto to know that I intend to face this challenge head on, and win.”
But he said that while he was unable to commit to the heavy schedule required of a mayoral candidate he would still run for councillor in Toronto’s Ward 2 while focusing on getting better.
On Wednesday, doctors discovered the mayor had a “fair size” abdominal tumour after his admission to hospital.
It remains unclear whether the tumour, which was biopsied on Thursday, is cancerous. Results wouldn’t be available for about a week.
Ford has faced a series of drug, alcohol and other scandals over the past 18 months but had been a viable contender for mayor of Toronto.
