Doug Ford says he and rest of caucus will stay out of federal Conservative leadership race.

“I’ll be supporting the people of Ontario, I have my hands full and for our MPP’s, I believe they’ll have their hands full so no, they won’t be supporting anyone,” Ford told reporters .

Among the candidates for the Conservative leadership is Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown who led the Ontario PC’s before Ford.

Several people in Ford’s caucus were MPP’s at the time of Brown’s leadership but the majority supported current Health Minister Christine Elliott for the top job, and did not stand by Brown when a sexual misconduct scandal ended his time as party leader.

Brown has denied any wrongdoing and recently settled a defamation lawsuit over the allegations.

Independent MPP Roman Baber is also running. He was ejected from the provincial Tory caucus last year for questioning pandemic lockdowns.

The federal Tories choose their new leader September 10th.