The race to be the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada is heating up.
Haldimand-Norfolk MP Leslyn Lewis has officially joined the race to replace former leader Erin O'Toole.
Lewis joins MP Pierre Poilievre who announced last month he'd be running as well.
University of Windsor political science professor Lydia Miljan says Lewis placed third behind O'Toole in the party's 2020 leadership race.
"It's as expected. I mean, she did exceptionally well last time considering she wasn't even a sitting member of parliament and really had no public profile. So for her to have done so well it really makes sense that she would put her name forward once again."
She says more candidates will come forward.
"The vote isn't going to be until the end of September. So there's quite a lot of runway before we get to election day. I think that's going to mean that we're going to have quite a few candidates because, really, it is the battle for the Conservative Party and the direction it's going to go into."
Miljan says the last two leaders turned out to be duds.
"Andrew Scheer and Erin O'Toole tried to put the party in a certain direction. Both of them failed in doing it and, ever since, they have a divided party. Each of these candidates bring something slightly different to the conversation."
Former Quebec premier Jean Charest and former MP and now Brampton mayor Patrick Brown are expected to make announcements they'll be joining the race as well.
— with files from AM800's Patty Handysides