MAYOR OR MAY NOT: Karen Stintz and Rob Ford kick off a year of pre-election bickering

And they’re off! This weekend, mayor Rob Ford and his ally-turned-nemesis Karen Stintz gave Toronto its first taste of the passive-aggressive antics that are sure to dominate the 2014 mayoral election. The right-leaning councillor broadcast her plans to run against Ford on Saturday, making her the first high-profile rival to do so (MP Olivia Chow and radio host John Tory are also reportedly considering runs, while former councillor David Soknacki has already announced his long-shot candidacy). Naturally, Stintz used the opportunity for a not-so-veiled jab at the mayor’s scandal-burdened tenure: “I want to make that sure we focus on the issues, not the personality.”  Ford’s response? Bring it. The mayor spent most of his two-hour radio show on Sunday trumpeting his triumphs and offering off-putting images like this one: “I’m just drooling—I am absolutely salivating—for this next election.”  [Toronto Sun]