Rob Ford set for huge win in Toronto mayoral race

The gadfly candidate has opened up a 24-point lead in the polls.

“Landslide” is the word being thrown around the Toronto media today, with a new poll indicating controversial mayoral candidate Rob Ford is poised for a big victory in next month’s election. Ford has terrified left-leaning downtown residents with his promises to cut social spending and gut funding for the arts, but his message of thrift at City Hall is polling strongly in the suburbs. Despite the fact that he’s made few appearances since August revelations of a drunk driving arrest in 1999, Ford is now 24-points ahead of his main rival George Smitherman. In late August he had only a six-point lead. Barring a major catastrophe he is now certain to be the next mayor of Canada’s largest city.