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Doug Ford Is A 'Superstar' Candidate To Replace Harper, Organizer Says

Speculation about the former Toronto city councillor's return to politics has hit a fever pitch.
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One man representing a “broad coalition of Conservatives voters” really wants to see Doug Ford take the party’s reins from Stephen Harper one day.

Rud Chamberlain, an Ontario farmer and lead organizer behind “Run Doug Run,” launched the unofficial group over the weekend to drum up a revival of the federal Conservatives’ ideological roots.

“The guy is a superstar,” Chamberlain said to The Huffington Post Canada about Ford. “Look, Stephen Harper's done pretty well on the economy. On the other hand, he must do more to bring socially Conservative issues to the forefront.”

The group is lobbying for the Conservative agenda to include stronger representation of traditional family values, a firm anti-abortion stance, and the implementation of a competitive two-tier health care system.

Harper needs to step up in his embrace of “true” social Conservative values, Chamberlain said.

He asserted that the folks behind “Run Doug Run” are not “some fringe group.”

“It is important to understand that the values we stand for are shared by a significant percentage of the Conservative caucus and thousands of Conservative voters across Canada.”

Chamberlain — who said he has not had direct contact with the politician — explained his only interaction with Ford was watching the former mayoral candidate at debates. He also didn’t reveal any details about the team or number of supporters behind “Run Doug Run.”

Doug Ford could be a great conduit for these causes if he agrees with us,” he said, adding the best timing for the hypothetical leadership candidacy is optimal if Harper doesn’t win a majority on Oct. 19.

The elder Ford decided to step away from municipal politics last year after losing the Toronto mayoral race, and declined to join the Ontario Progressive Conservatives’ leadership race.

Speculation about the former Toronto city councillor’s return to politics hit a fever pitch Friday after the Ford brothers spoke to Bloomberg about the family’s future political ambitions.

Ford, who returned to head his family’s label business full-time since bowing out from city hall, defended Harper by saying he’s confident the Conservative leader will be re-elected.

“I never say never in politics. But as of right now I am supporting the prime minister 100 per cent,” he said.

Also on HuffPost:

Doug Ford Means Business

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