If Soknacki deserves to get media attention, then shouldn't Norm Gardner also get media attention? They're both former City Councillors who held prominent positions (chairing the budget and police committees respectively). Gardner's only been "out of the game" for three years longer than Soknacki. I wonder how the media decides which candidates to report on and which to ignore.
Fair question. Though I'd place Soknacki in the second-tier (with Stintz, and behind Chow, Ford, Tory) and Gardner in the third tier. Gardner has not spoken to business groups like the Toronto Board of Trade (that I know of) - we heard of him registering, and that's about it. He hasn't made any noise. Soknacki is putting a team together.
I'd rank the candidates in this order. Serious candidates are always A and B tiers. As campaigns go on, there is some mobility within the tiers)
A-Tier:
Ford - incumbant. Automatically is top of the pyramid.
Tory and Chow - high profile challengers
(In 2010, Smitherman would have definitely been A-tier. Ford, but some may argue he wasn't until mid-campaign)
B-Tier:
Karen Stintz - somewhat well recognized as TTC chair and incumbant councillor; some talent on her team
David Soknacki - former councillor, also with talent and some attention-getting plays.
(In 2010, Joe Pantalone would have been B-Tier. Jane Pitfield would have been B-Tier in 2006. David Miller started as B-Tier in 2003.)
C-Tier:
Norm Gardiner
(In 2010, Sarah Thomson and Rocco Rossi would have been C-Tier, though Rossi might have started at B-Tier.)
Y-Tier:
Richard Underhill - some name recognition, especially in certain downtowner circles. Not a serious challenger, though.
Z-Tier:
Everyone else.