The latest poll in Toronto’s mayoral campaign sees Rob Ford gaining ground for the first time in months and outpacing the other candidates.

Ford sits in second place with 31 per cent of support behind front-runner John Tory who netted 34 per cent.

The results of the Forum Research poll may come as a surprise to candidates who had counted Ford out of the race.

During the mayor’s rehab stint his polling numbers were as low as 20 per cent.

But Ford was the only candidate to gain ground in this poll, earning six percentage points since early August. Tory and David Soknacki dropped one per cent while once front-runner Olivia Chow lost two percentage points.

Ford finds strength on the issues of low taxes, misspending, and building subways, said one analyst quoted in the Toronto Star.

He also polled first among voters aged 18-34 and in Scarborough.

Chow slumped to third with 23 per cent. Soknacki has four per cent while seven per cent of respondents said they were undecided.

If Soknacki were to leave the race, Tory would receive 36 per cent, Ford 31 per cent, and Chow 26 per cent with seven per cent undecided.

According to the poll, some Karen Stintz supporters migrated to the Ford camp when the former TTC chair dropped out of the race last week.

The poll, which was conducted on Monday and Tuesday, surveyed 1,945 Torontonians via automated phone survey. It has a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points 19 times out of 20.

The municipal election is on Oct. 27.

Forum Research poll on Toronto mayoral race: Aug. 25-26