A political grudge match is shaping up between Karen Stintz and John Tory as the fallout from the crack cocaine scandal hits the 2014 election.

Stintz announced her candidacy for mayor last month, less than a week before police revealed they were in possession of the Rob Ford crack video. But now that Ford’s hopes of being re-elected have been dealt a possibly mortal blow, the Tory campaign juggernaut has kicked into gear.

The problem is, there’s only room for one of them.

The TTC chair and popular talk radio host would draw from the same limited pool of campaign donors, volunteers and strategy talent. Politically, they are lock-step centre-right, socially liberal and fiscally conservative.

Back in 2010, Stintz abandoned her mayoral ambitions after Tory began telling their circle that he was contemplating a run. This time, Stintz says she’s not going to be big-footed.

When asked how Tory’s candidacy might affect her burgeoning campaign, Stintz had harsh words for the former leader of Ontario’s Progressive Conservative party.

“It doesn’t. It doest impact me at all. I am committed to the people of Toronto and I am committed to being on that ballot, and I will win,” she said.

Councillor Stintz said her 11 years at city hall have given her the experience to be mayor and credibility to take on rumoured left-wing challenger Olivia Chow.

“The reality is, (Tory) doesn’t win elections. He lost to David Miller. He lost to Dalton McGuinty. He lost to Kathleen Wynne. He lost to Rick Johnson,” Stintz said referring to Tory’s failed run for mayor in 2003 and a string of provincial loses.

For his part, Tory — who chairs CivicAction — insists he still hasn’t decided. One consideration is how his candidacy would affect the race. With Stintz and Ford — who, despite his troubles, has insisted he will run for re-election — the fiscally conservative side is already crowded. This could help a Chow victory.

But according to one of his close political confidants, as soon as Chief Bill Blair announced that police were in possession of the video the Star reported about six months ago, Tory indicated “he’s running.”

The candidate may still be wavering, but the rumours have once again got Toronto’s political class chattering.

At a gala tribute to former premier Bill Davis on Wednesday night, the buzz was all about Tory’s nascent mayoral bid. Speaking to a blue-chip crowd of several hundred people at the Distillery District’s Fermenting Cellar, Davis hailed Tory.

“His future is ahead of him,” said the respected former Progressive Conservative premier, who governed Ontario from 1971 until 1985.

That remark provoked knowing glances in the audience where many Conservatives and Liberals were quietly lobbying Tory to run.

A senior Liberal cabinet minister told the Star that many Grits would rally to Tory, who was provincial PC leader from 2004 to 2009 and is respected by Premier Kathleen Wynne.

Training, Colleges and Universities Minister Brad Duguid said Wednesday he is encouraging Tory to run.

“Last time, I enthusiastically supported John Tory,” said Duguid, referring to his role on “Liberals For Tory” during the 2003 Toronto election.

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“I think he is the person the city needs to lead us out of this morasse and I will be enthusiastically doing whatever I need to do to help him be the next mayor of Toronto,” said the minister, a former councillor who served on council with Rob Ford from 2000 to 2003.

Sources say the draft-Tory movement picked up further after Doug Ford’s startling attack on prominent Conservative Andrew Pringle, a Ford appointee to the Toronto Police Services Board.

The mayor’s brother castigated Pringle on Tuesday for going on a fishing trip with Chief Blair, whose force is investigating the mayor for his links to an alleged drug dealer.

Pringle, a financier-philanthropist and the 2007 PC candidate in Etobicoke-Lakeshore, was Tory’s chief of staff when the talk show host was Conservative leader from 2004 to 2009.

“You can’t go around attacking Andy Pringle and the chief,” said a top Conservative insider, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The draft-Tory movement has also attracted an all-star line-up of political heavyweights, including strategists who have helped propel Ford and former premiers Dalton McGuinty and Mike Harris to victory.

Tory said he is aware that some of his supporters are organizing, but “they’re not doing it with my approval.”

Candidates can’t officially register — and start spending money — until Jan. 2.

Meanwhile, several top strategists attached to Stintz’s campaign scoffed at the Tory rumours.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” said one.

During the 2010 mayoral bid, Tory twice debated jumping into the race after announcing he wouldn’t run. A strategist with Stintz’s campaign said 2014 is “feeling a lot like 2010.”

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