University of Windsor Political Science professor Lydia Miljan says it's too early to cut the Progressive Conservative party out of the next provincial election, despite the resignation of the party's leader.
"They've got some good people to choose from for interim leader and they could turn it around. I think there is still a huge appetite for change in the province so it isn't a done deal that the Liberals are going to defacto win another mandate," says Miljan.
Miljan says recent allegations of sexual misconduct that have been levelled against now former PC Leader Patrick Brown could cause more people to turn to the NDP as an alternative.
"I think Andrea Horwath is probably pretty excited at the fact that she's now going to be looked at a lot more carefully as an alternative to the current government," says Miljan.
The Progressive Conservatives will likely go into the election with an interim leader selected by the caucus, unless they can quickly arrange a leadership campaign and vote.
Miljan says it is not entirely unheard of to win an election with an interim leader.
"It's really too hard to tell right now to what extent people were looking at the Conservatives because of Patrick Brown and to what extent they were looking at the Conservatives because they liked their policies," says Miljan.
She predicts the party will turn to Christine Elliott, who came in second in the last leadership race behind Brown. Another name that has been considered is Caroline Mulroney, who has a lot of name recognition.
As for allegations that the Liberal party could have planted these accusations, Miljan doesn't think the timing is that suspicious considering the current climate with the #metoo campaign.
"Last night's news was all about sexual misconduct allegations from different political parties, from the sports world, from the entertainment world so this is the time that people are really talking about it," says Miljan. "It could have been worse quite frankly, and I know it's hard for people to believe but this bombshell could have been held right during the campaign itself and then I think that would have been more suspect if it was during the six week writ period."
The provincial election is scheduled for June 7, 2018.