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For now, Erskine-Smith (Beaches—East York) said the Liberals should focus on thanking the departing leader for her years of public service.

“The party’s stronger as a consequence of her efforts, and we’ve got to build on those efforts,” he said Wednesday in Ottawa.

Crombie announced Sunday she would step down as Liberal chief after winning just 57 per cent support at a weekend leadership review.

“Even though I received a majority of support from the delegates, I believe it is the best decision for the Ontario Liberal party to facilitate an orderly transition towards a leadership vote,” she said in a statement hours after the disappointing result that fell short of the two-thirds threshold observers felt she had to clear.

“I have advised the party president of my decision to resign upon the selection of my successor.”

Two Liberal sources close to Crombie, who spoke confidentially to discuss internal party matters, maintained Erskine-Smith has been plotting another leadership run since his loss in December 2023.

“He hasn’t stopped. He’s the most organized. Right now, no one can catch up to him. No one else is ready,” confided one of the Liberals.

A second party insider noted Erskine-Smith was effective at undermining Crombie with email blasts to supporters critical of her leadership in the months leading up to the review.

The federal MP repeatedly panned her performance in the Feb. 27 provincial election that saw Premier Doug Ford’s three-term Progressive Conservatives re-elected with 43 per cent of the popular vote and 80 of the legislature’s 124 seats.

While Crombie’s Liberals took 30 per cent of the vote, they only won 14 seats. Marit Stiles’s New Democrats won 27 ridings with just 18.5 per cent of the vote. There are also two Green MPPs and one Independent in the house.

Erskine-Smith’s organizational prowess was evident last weekend, where his team enlisted many as 500 delegates of the 2,400 who attended the annual general meeting at the Sheraton Centre in É«É«À².

“Look what happened at the convention. That wasn’t just like an accident. They might not have all been wearing buttons but they sure like Nate,” said a senior strategist from his 2023 leadership campaign.

That doesn’t mean Erskine-Smith will stick with the same strategy he employed two years ago, they said.

“It’s an interesting question whether you declare early or you declare late and last time he was the first candidate in the race which had a benefit but it also has challenges since it’s hard to keep up a pace over a longer time.”

Nathaniel Arfin, spokesperson for the New Leaf Liberals, which pushed for a leadership change, agreed Erskine-Smith “has the upper hand” in the nascent contest.

But Andrew Perez, a Liberal delegate and principal of Perez Strategies, emphasized the looming campaign could usher in a roster of new candidates that would generate a lively race.

Indeed, numerous politicians serving in all three levels of government across Ontario are said to be kicking the tires on a bid — even though the Grits have yet to determine timelines or rules for the contest.

MPPs Stephanie Bowman (Don Valley West), Adil Shamji (Don Valley East) and Tyler Watt (Nepean) are mentioned as possible contenders from the 14-member caucus at Queen’s Park, as is Ted Hsu (Kingston and the Islands), who finished last in the 2023 leadership race.

From municipal government, Muskoka District chair Jeff Lehman, a former Barrie mayor and past Liberal candidate, and Coun. Josh Matlow (Ward 12-É«É«À²-St. Paul’s), another one-time Grit hopeful, are cited as potential successors to Crombie, who was a three-term Mississauga mayor before becoming leader.

In Ottawa, Karina Gould, the Burlington MP who lost to Mark Carney in this year’s federal Liberal leadership race, also did not rule out a run for the provincial job.

“I am very focused on my work here at the federal level,” said Gould, when asked if she would consider running.

She added there are many issues the Ontario Liberals need to be considering at this moment, including on policies related to the economy and “social infrastructure” like health care, education and child care.

“There’s a lot of rebuilding that has to happen at the party level,” she said.