The former leader of the Ontario NDP confirmed widespread suspicion that she would try for the city’s head of council Tuesday morning. Photo credit: Twitter/Andrea Horwath
Precisely a quarter century after it began, Andrea Horwath’s political career has come full circle.
On Tuesday morning, the former leader of the provincial NDP and head of Ontario’s Official Opposition declared she would be running to succeed Fred Eisenberger as mayor of Hamilton this fall.
“Today I am proud to announce that I will put my name forward as a candidate for mayor of Hamilton,” Horwath said in a statement on social media. “Hamilton has always been more than my hometown – it’s been my passion, my pride and my inspiration. I love this city.”
“My commitment is to be a mayor for all Hamiltonians so that together we can continue making this city a great place to live, to achieve, to raise a family and to grow old.”
Horwath began her political journey in 1997 at age 34, when she ran on the federal New Democratic ticket in Hamilton West against Liberal incumbent Stan Keyes. While she lost by a wide margin, she finished in second and more than doubled the NDP’s showing from the previous election. The race ultimately helped build her community profile and reputation as a capable candidate.
When it came to the municipal election later that year, the relative newcomer was able to top a tough field of seven competitors in Ward 2, a seat she comfortably won another two times, both pre- and post-amalgamation in 2000 and 2003, respectively.
Horwath’s third term on city council lasted less than a year, however.
In March 2004, veteran Liberal MPP Domenic Agostino passed away from liver cancer, consequently opening up a vacancy at the provincial level in Hamilton East. In the May by-election that followed, Horwath, representing the Ontario NDP, secured 64 per cent of the vote and stole a seat from Dalton McGuinty’s majority government. Horwath’s victory expanded her party’s depleted caucus from seven to eight and, notably, restored the Ontario NDP’s official party status in the legislature.
With riding redistribution, Horwath then ran in the newly re-created Hamilton Centre for the 2007 election. She easily won the race with just shy of half the vote share.
Shortly thereafter, then-leader of the Ontario NDP Howard Hampton declared his intention to not seek re-election at the party’s March 2009 leadership convention. Horwath announced her intention to replace Hampton the next day.
Buoyed by the support of former Bob Rae cabinet ministers David Christopherson, Peter Kormos, and Rosario Marchese, as well as backing from key union leaders, Horwath bested competitors Peter Tabuns, Gilles Bisson, and Michael Prue on the third ballot in the subsequent leadership race.
In her first general election as leader in 2011, Horwath helped grow both the NDP’s seat count (10 to 17 seats) and popular support (17 to 23 per cent).
After picking up four more seats in by-elections between 2011 and 2014, Horwath’s New Democrats maintained their 21 seats and 23-point support in the 2014 general election, finishing third to Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals, who won a majority mandate, and Tim Hudak’s Progressive Conservatives.
But Horwath’s shining moment as leader of the Ontario NDP came in 2018. That year, she successfully capitalized on the full-scale structural collapse of the provincial Liberal Party – which was reduced from a majority government to seven seats, losing official party status in the process – to consolidate the left-of-centre vote and become Ontario’s Official Opposition. Horwath’s NDP came away from the contest with 40 seats in the legislature.
However, finally in the spotlight as Ontario’s Leader of the Official Opposition, the Hamilton Centre MP was largely ineffective as chief government critic, as evidenced by her party’s inability to make gains this past June.
In the 2022 provincial election, though the party held onto second place, the NDP saw its seat count shrink to 31 and its share of the popular vote fall by 10 points back down to pre-2018 levels. In fact, the NDP actually earned less votes overall than the Liberals, but due to superior vote distribution were able to win across several more ridings.
After four kicks at the proverbial can, Horwath stepped down as leader of the Ontario NDP on election night.
While likely considered the front-runner in Hamilton’s 2022 mayoral contest for the time being, Horwath is far from a shoo-in for head of council.
At present, she’s up against three competitors, two of whom are very high-profile.
If Horwath hopes to succeed Mayor Eisenberger, the political veteran will have to defeat a young and hungry Keanin Loomis, past president and CEO of Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, and former Hamilton mayor and two-term Liberal MP Bob Bratina.
The municipal election is set for October 24, 2022. Candidates have until August 19 to file nomination papers.
