Will he or won’t he? John Tory says jump, press asks “how high?”

Or so says the Star:

Insiders say Hackett, her husband’s most trusted adviser, has gotten over her aversion to electoral politics. She was upset at how her husband was treated by foes and friends alike after his stunning by-election defeat to Liberal Rick Johnson.

“Barb kept a list,” said another friend. “But she’s a lot warmer to the idea” of a mayoral run.

Astonishingly, one of the people pushing Tory into the race is none other than Margaret Thatcher Mike Harris. Of all the endorsements in the world, that one is impossible to measure in Toronto: the man responsible for the megacity isn’t exactly beloved in this town. Is there no one else for Tory to turn to for political advice? It’d be a shame if Harris hobbled his friend’s campaign before it even started. Then again, it wouldn’t be the first Tory victory Harris messed up.

• Tory leaning toward run for mayor’s chair [Toronto Star] • John Tory mulls entering mayor’s race, friends say [National Post] • Speculation mounts over John Tory mayoral bid [Globe and Mail]