Guelph PC candidate refutes reports he doesn't support Ford

The campaign manager forRay Ferraro, who is running for the Progressive Conservatives in Guelph, says his candidate fully supports party leader Doug Ford.

The statement comes after a report by local news blogger Adam Donaldson that said Ferraro called the nomination process for the party "a comedy of errors" and that he regretted that Christine Elliott didn't win the leadership race. The comments were made during a candidates debate Tuesday night.

Bob Coole, Ferraro's campaign manager, said on Thursday the answer reported by Donaldson was taken out of context.

He said the question had been, "Do you think, if Christine [Elliott] had won the leadership race, it would be a lot easier for you to win here."

"He answered, as he heard it, that yes, he supported Christine Elliott and he did say, yes, the leadership was full of holes," Coole said.

Ferraro was appointed as the candidate in Guelph by Ford in April.

'He's behind Doug Ford'

The website PressProgress.ca reported on Donaldson's blog post and had the headline:"Ontario PC candidate appointed by Doug Ford says he wishes his party had a different leader."

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Reading a statement from Ferraro, Coole said: "I do believe Doug Ford has the ability to lead this party and our province, especially with a great team of qualified PC MPPs and other candidates supporting him."

Coole added, "He's behind Doug Ford 110 per cent."

Coole also suggested Donaldson's reporting may have been influenced by the fact Ferraro's team had declined an interview request on a radio show Donaldson does.

Ferraro declined interviews

Donaldson, who is known for his political reporting in Guelph, told CBC News he stands by his blog post and that he did not take Ferraro's comments out of context. He also said Ferraro declining to be interviewed did not play a factor in the way he reported the candidates debate.

"It doesn't sound like he's denied what was said," Donaldson said.

He noted he asked Ferraro's team for a one-on-one interview multiple times and offered various ways to do the interview.

"I just felt disappointed about how it all went down," he said. "I had no motive of revenge at all."