TORONTO

Is Doug Ford ready to step in the ring with prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau?

Ford is one of the names being bandied about to replace defeated Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper.

The prospect of the former councillor and Toronto mayoral candidate jumping into federal politics came up in the election campaign even before Trudeau’s Liberals trounced the Conservatives on Monday.

Ford was tight-lipped Tuesday about a possible bid for the Conservative leadership.

“I can’t answer that now,” Ford said. “The results weren’t what we hoped for but other than that, we’ll see how it goes.

“I’ll tell you one thing, hold onto your pocketbooks — we’ve got the threesome ready to dig in there,” added Ford, who was referring to Trudeau, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Mayor John Tory.

A day after the Conservative loss, Ford said his phone was ringing non-stop about a possible leadership campaign.

Ford and his brother, Councillor Rob Ford, helped promote a rally with Harper in Etobicoke last Saturday. Speaking there, Doug Ford delivered a stump speech urging supporters to re-elect the Harper Conservatives.

Despite the last-minute appeal to Ford Nation supporters, the Liberals went on to sweep Toronto and most of the surrounding GTA ridings on Monday.

He dismissed the idea the Liberal wins — particularly in Etobicoke and Scarborough — show the support for the Fords’ brand is fading.

“You’ve got to be kidding, in two days we registered 2,200 people,” Ford said. “I could run tomorrow and get another 350,000 votes (in Toronto).”

don.peat@sunmedia.ca