GRIT RECEIPTS
For months, the candidates vying to lead the provincial Liberals have been making the case that they can bring the party out of the political wilderness. Now, with the crucial membership sign-up deadline behind them, we’re digging into the receipts.
So far, the five contenders have collectively raised roughly $1.4 million, per the latest real-time disclosures from Elections Ontario.
And sitting pretty atop the money pile is former federal cabinet minister and perceived frontrunner NAVDEEP BAINS, who has hauled in $421,856.
But the topline figure doesn’t tell the whole story.
By the numbers:
— NAVDEEP BAINS: $421,856 from 280 donors, with an average contribution of $1,512
— LEE FAIRCLOUGH: $350,928, leading the field with 333 donors, averaging $1,057
— STEPHANIE BOWMAN: $284,876 from 200 donors, averaging $1,431
— ERIC LOMBARDI: $199,937 from 196 donors, with an average of $1,025
— DYLAN MARANDO: $161,794 from 198 donors who gave $821 on average.
The big-bucks candidate: Bains…
