Rae Withdrawing From Leadership Race

Details are still sketchy, but according to at least two news outlets, Bob Rae will announce that he is ending his bid for leadership of the Liberal Party later today. This means that Michael Ignatieff will assume the party's leadership unopposed, and the Liberals may be able to justify their claim that they are finally getting it together under pressure. Ignatieff hasn't exactly won the hearts and minds of Liberals everywhere (his support of the war in Iraq still rankles for many), but they'll at least have some stability in the top role. The prospects for the coalition bid may dim substantially, however, as Ignatieff has been lukewarm from the start about that enterprise. Click here to join Torontoist's ongoing conversation about recent political developments.