Are things so bad for Doug Ford that he might consider asking the Progressive Conservatives to find a new leader?

By Pepper Parr

May 4th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

How can a political party without a leader poll higher than the political party that currently governs the province?

Only in Ontario.

The leaderless Ontario Liberals have nudged in front of the Progressive Conservatives, according to a new poll released in the aftermath of the premier’s private jet reversal and changes to freedom-of-information laws.

A  Liaison Strategies survey put Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives at 36 per cent, just behind the Liberals, who were at 38 per cent. The distance between the two is within the margin of error.

The Ontario NDP, which sits as the official Opposition, were at 20 per cent and the Greens at four per cent.

David Valentin, principal at Liaison Strategies, suggested the Progressive Conservatives have seen their support dropping for some time.

“While the decay may have been slowed down by government advertising, the jet fiasco has pushed the PCs down even lower and they now find themselves in second place,” he wrote in a statement.

Has the public finally clued in?

How much lower do the Ford polling numbers have to go before Doug Ford pulls the plug and announces his plans to call a Leadership Convention  and look for a replacement?

The Progressive Conservatives have enough time to find a new leader and begin to polish up the brand and be ready for the next election.

The Liberals will choose their new leader at an event in November.

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