Tim Hudak turns Ontario PC campaign around with strong debate performance

Tim Hudak's five-year tenure as leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative party has been filled with fumbles, blunders and epic failures.

On Tuesday night — at the Ontario leaders' debate — Hudak may have finally found his footing just in time for the June 12th election.

According to an Ipsos Reid analysis conducted prior to and right after the debate, the PC leader was the hands down winner.

A Forum Research poll yielded similar results.

While there may not have been any knock-out blows or major gaffes, Hudak was the strongest performer: he stayed on message about his million jobs plan — in spite of continuous jabs about his alleged fuzzy math — while framing the Liberal and NDP plans to balance the books as disingenuous. He even came off as less robotic and more human by sharing anecdotes about his family.

Abacus Research Chariman Bruce Anderson believes that Hudak may have breathed new life into his campaign.

"Tim Hudak’s campaign, until last night, was a hot mess. An accident-prone tour, an ad campaign that wandered from topic to topic and an economic plan that would fail grade 9 math. The stakes were high for Mr. Hudak going into last night’s debate and the expectations were low. Many voters might have tuned in simply to have their instinct that he’s not fit to be Premier confirmed," Anderson wrote on the polling company's website on Wednesday.

"Instead, he may have stopped the downward momentum of his campaign, and given voters a chance to re-evaluate him.

"Hudak came off as less scary, less radical and less of an amateur than might have been expected. A win, even if not a virtuoso performance."

[ Related: Who won the Ontario leaders' debate? ]

Anderson's last point, about Hudak appearing less scary and less radical, is an important one.

Essentially, the Liberals have been campaigning on the premise that yes, they've had their problems, but Hudak's plan is 'radical' and even Tea Party-esque.

Instead, on Tuesday, Hudak presented what seemed to be a realistic and measured plan to solve Ontario's current fiscal difficulties. In other words, he didn't come off as the the scary boogeyman and that hurts the Liberals and their narrative.

[ Related: Ontario leaders’ debate dissected: The best and the worst of the exchange ]

Prior to the debate, political consultant — and former Dalton McGuinty adviser — Rob Silver told CBC News that debates are interesting but it's what happens after debates is what matters.

"Most people form their opinions based on the coverage and the reactions in the 24 hours after the debates," he said.

Today, the pundits and analysts are saying Hudak won and now has the momentum.

The PCs still might not win the election — polls still claim that the Liberals have a slight edge.

But — after a series of failures — Hudak has given his party some momentum; he's given them a fighting chance.

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