Chinks in the armour

Candidate controversy

ABOVE THE FOLD

As DOUG FORD treks to Washington for the second time during this snap campaign, new polling suggests it may not be such a cakewalk for the frontrunner PCs. Ford, who hadn’t met with reporters on home soil in over a week, was on the defensive while BONNIE CROMBIE and MARIT STILES are sharpening their knives. Here’s where they stand with less than a week to go before the vote.

Reporters were itching to get in front of Ford, who’s been laying low since last week. That’s been working for him so far — but the latest poll tracker for the Star suggests there may be cracks in the facade. The rolling average shows the PCs at about 41 per cent support, followed by the Grits with 29 per cent, the NDP at 18 per cent, and the Greens at 6.

Ford speaks: Try as he might to stick to tariffs and the chaos of DONALD TRUMP’s Washington, the PC leader was forced to address everything he didn’t all week:

On those “leaked” sparky comments: Ford insisted “it was a joke,” then spouted off on “w…