The provincial PC leadership race is about to heat up with another high-profile contender.

Lisa MacLeod is poised to take the plunge into the turbulent leadership waters, as a group of her friends and supporters launch a "We believe in Lisa" website.

Known for her feistiness and her fiery red hair, MacLeod has until now been coy about her leadership ambitions, saying only she'll reveal her intentions once the date and rules for the convention have been set.

A Tory meeting last weekend failed to set a definite date for the leadership vote, but narrowed it down to April or May of 2015.

That was seen as a blow to Whitby-Oshawa MPP Christine Elliott, the first candidate to formally declare her intentions.

Elliott is well organized and has the support of a large number of party insiders.

It's believed she'd romp to victory if the leadership vote were held this fall.

Born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, MacLeod, 39, has wooed several MPPs from eastern Ontario on board her campaign, as well as former Tory MPP Chris Stockwell, who served as speaker and in cabinet during the Mike Harris years.

She has the support of Leeds-Grenville MPP Steve Clark, York-Simcoe's Julia

Munro, Garfield Dunlop from Simcoe North and Jim McDonell from Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry.

"I'm excited about it," Clark said in a telephone inteview Monday.

He has been encouraging MacLeod to go for the leadership ever since the disastrous June 12 election result.

"I certainly believe in Lisa," he told me.

"I know, being her neighbour, what she has been able to accomplish in Ottawa and what she has been able to accomplish as a caucus member," he said.

Clark said the website is a vehicle for supporters to show MacLeod how they feel.

"I see people come up to her and they're very enthusiastic and they're encouraging her to run."

MacLeod's friend, lawyer Cyndee Todgham Cherniak, is behind the website.

"We felt it was appropriate to table a site that allows folks to express how they feel about Lisa's leadership abilities," Clark said.

Other people who are pondering a run for the top spot include MPPs Vic Fedeli (Nipissing) and Monte McNaughton (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex) as well as two MPs, Patrick Brown (Barrie) and Rick Dykstra (St. Catharines.)

The later date may hurt the chances of the federal politicians. As they move towards a 2015 election, Prime Minister Stephen Harper may demand they make up their minds whether they're running again federally.

As well, some MPPs have told me they will not vote for any candidate who doesn't have a seat in the legislature-- or at least a firm commitment from a sitting

MPP that he or she will step aside to make way for an outsider.

That's not likely to happen.

Tories still wince when they recall the difficulties John Tory had when he attempted to lead the party without a seat.

The only Tory seat likely to become vacant within the next couple of years is that of former Tory leader Tim Hudak in Niagara West-Glanbrook. That might work for Dykstra but would be a stretch for Brown.

More importantly, many Tories feel this should not just be about a new leader. There needs to be a vigourous debate about the future of the party. Many would like to redefine themselves and find a new direction that will appeal to more voters.

They've now lost four elections under three leaders and they worry they'll be consigned to a footnote in the history books if they don't become more relevant.

Let's face it--they have plenty of time. Depite a $1.1-billion gas plant scandal, the Ornge air ambulance fiasco and the shocking deletion of e-mails in the office of former premier Dalton McGuinty, voters surprisingly gave Premier Kathleen Wynne a majority government until 2018.

So there's no rush at all to find a new Tory leader.

You can catch MacLeod's website at webelieveinlisa.ca