Simcoe Grey MPP Jim Wilson says he’ll make up his mind in the next two weeks whether he’ll try to become the next leader of the provincial PCs.
The party will pick an interim leader Monday to replace John Tory, who resigned last month after his embarrassing by-election loss in what was presumed to be a safe riding in the Peterborough area.
Wilson says he will not run to be the interim leader, as tradition dictates the interim leader doesn’t try for the full-time job.
He says money is a big factor as he tries to make up his mind.
Candidates in the last PC leadership fight each spent a miniumum of 1.2 million dollars on the campaign.
Wilson says some of them are still trying to pay off debts of up to 180-thousand dollars.
Wilson says another factor in his decision-making process is the time required- he says becoming leader would require a ten-year commitment.
He also says if he were to try for the leadership, people in Simcoe-Grey would have to get used to seeing a lot less of him as he criss-crossed the province, drumming up support.