Rona Ambrose will not run for leadership of the federal Conservative party.
She made the announcement in a post on social media today, saying she wants to stay focused on making a difference through the private sector.
Ambrose had been facing heavy pressure to make a bid for the job and says she was humbled to be considered.
She says she knows the party will choose a strong and compassionate person to lead and she'll be there to support them.
Ambrose served as interim leader of the party after the Conservatives were voted out in 2015, and was replaced by Andrew Scheer.
But he stepped down in mid-December, kicking off the current race.
These candidates have officially declared they intend to run:
- Marilyn Gladu: Conservative MP for Ontario riding of Sarnia-Lambton, formerly a professional engineer.
- Peter MacKay: former Progressive Conservative leader, Conservative cabinet minister and longtime MP from Nova Scotia, who now lives in Toronto.
- Rick Peterson: Alberta businessman, candidate in 2017 leadership campaign.
- Aron Seal: former director of policy for two Conservative cabinet ministers.
- Bobby Singh: entrepreneur and Conservative candidate in 2019 election in riding of Scarborough-Rouge Park.
- Derek Sloan: Conservative MP for the Ontario riding of Hastings-Lennox and Addington.
Others, in alphabetical order, who are considering bids:
- Michael Chong: former Conservative cabinet minister, current MP for Ontario riding of Wellington-Halton Hills. Ran in the 2017 race.
- Richard Decarie: political aide under former Conservative leader Stephen Harper while in opposition, helped run Harper's Quebec operations.
- Michelle Rempel Garner: Conservative MP for the riding of Calgary Nose Hill.
- Vincent Guzzo: movie-theatre mogul from Quebec who also stars in the reality-TV program "Dragons' Den."
- Rudy Husny: longtime Quebec operative for the Conservative party, and businessman.
- Erin O'Toole: former Conservative cabinet minister and current MP from the Toronto-area riding of Durham. Ran in the 2017 race.
- Pierre Poilievre: former Conservative cabinet minister and current MP from the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton.
