MacLeod to pull out of Ontario PC leadership

TORONTO - The Canadian Press has learned that Ottawa-area Progressive Conservative Lisa MacLeod will pull out of the party's leadership race on Friday.

A source with MacLeod's campaign confirms she will announce her decision at a news conference scheduled for 11 a.m. in Ottawa.

The source would not say if MacLeod will also announce her intention to quit the provincial party to run federally for the seat soon to be vacated by former foreign affairs minister John Baird.

MacLeod admitted the landscape changed this week after Baird announced he would resign his Ottawa West-Nepean seat in Parliament, and after rival PC leadership candidate Vic Fedeli pulled out of the leadership race.

MacLeod would have had to post another $50,000 with the PC party if she did not withdraw from the race by close of business day Friday, which was one of the reasons Fedeli cited when he dropped out Wednesday.

Fedeli, the former North Bay mayor, threw his support behind perceived front-runner Christine Elliott, saying he hadn't raised enough money to win the race.

Fedeli was second only to Elliott in fundraising, posting $156,000 in donations with Elections Ontario compared with the $515,000 she has raised to date.

MacLeod's camp said she had raised $105,000, but she posted under $60,000 in donations in her first official filing this week.

Barrie MP Patrick Brown, the only PC leadership candidate without a seat in the Ontario legislature, has raised $138,000 so far, and vows to stay in the race until the end.

A spokesman for London-area MPP Monte McNaughton insists he too is staying in the race, even though he has posted less than $20,000 in donations so far.

The candidates can spend a maximum of $1.25 million on their leadership campaigns.

Each candidate must give 20 per cent of any donations over $100,000 to the PC Ontario Fund, but there are no requirements to refund any money left over after campaign staff and expenses have been paid.

PC members across the province can vote for the new leader May 3 and May 7, using preferential ballots, with the winner to be announced May 9.

Former Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak resigned shortly after the party lost its fourth consecutive election to the Liberals last June, it's second loss under his leadership.

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