Ontario Liberal leadership candidate Eric Lombardi drops out, endorses Lee Fairclough

Ontario Liberal leadership candidate drops out
Ontario Liberal leadership candidate drops out
Ontario Liberal Party leadership candidate Eric Lombardi prior to the Ontario Liberal leadership debate in Brampton, Ont, on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Arlyn McAdorey
Writer

There are four people left in the running to lead Ontario's Liberal party.

Eric Lombardi ended his campaign on Wednesday and endorsed legislature member Lee Fairclough, whom he called substantive and pragmatic.

Lombardi says he knew running as a young, unelected candidate would be a "tough sell," and that he did not have enough confidence in fundraising to reach the end without taking on debt.

Former federal cabinet minister Navdeep Bains, legislature member Stephanie Bowman and former political staffer Dylan Marando are the other remaining candidates.

Bonnie Crombie stepped down as leader this year after receiving lukewarm support at the party's 2025 annual general meeting, following a provincial election in which she failed to win a seat in the legislature.

The next leader is set to be announced Nov. 21.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2026.

Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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