Bonnie Crombie has emerged as the newly elected leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, securing victory on the final ballot. Throughout the race, she strategically positioned herself as the most formidable candidate to challenge Premier Doug Ford in the upcoming election.
Ms. Crombie emerged victorious on the third ballot, securing 53.4 percent of the available points in the race. In contrast, Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith garnered 46.6 percent of the points.
Her victory signifies a significant milestone for the third-place party, as they now have their most prominent leader since the Liberals suffered a crushing defeat in the 2018 election under former premier Kathleen Wynne. This comes after a disappointing finish in the 2022 campaign by their short-lived leader, Steven Del Duca. The Liberals currently hold nine seats in the legislature, which falls short of the required number for official party status.
