A poll conducted by Mainstreet/Postmedia has found John Tory would comfortably win re-election as mayor of Toronto. According to the survey of 1,000 residents, Doug Ford, who recently announced his candidacy, would lose by a wide margin were he directly pitted against Tory.

In a one-on-one matchup between the candidates, Tory would take around 56 percent of the vote, while Ford would take 29 percent with about 15 percent of people undecided. When other candidates are added to the race, however, Tory’s victory is smaller.

The poll suggests that Tory’s win would be in part due to his ability to catch progressives and those to the left of the political spectrum. If a leftist candidate were to enter the race, Tory’s base of support against Ford would shrink significantly.

Jennifer Keesmat, the former city planner, and Mike Layton, a popular city councillor, are both speculated to be potential future contenders. If either were to enter, Tory’s majority would shrink to 39 percent or 35 percent, respectively.

These are, however, very early results. Candidates may do or say anything by the time the race, scheduled for October 2018, rolls around.