[1] The race quickly heated up when five days later, John Sweeney a Kitchener MPP announced his intention to seek the party leadership.
[3] On September 19, the Liberal party announced that they would hold a convention on the weekend of February 19–21, 1982 to choose a new leader.
His wife, Jane, and Wentworth North MPP Eric Cunningham represented him at campaign meetings and rallies.
Her campaign received surprising amount of media attention, positioning her as the leading challenging to the front runner Peterson.
Peterson, 38, MPP for London Centre since 1975, was the runner up in the 1976 leadership contest, coming within 45 votes of defeating Stuart Smith.
Peterson was generally acknowledged as the front-runner throughout the campaign, having spent the years since the last leadership race "organizing, getting his people in place, getting commitments of support from caucus members, raising money and biding his time.
Fellow member Sean Conway said that Sweeney would appeal to the "Catholic conservative constituency within the Liberal party."
[2] Thomas, 49, was a former Perry Township councillor and environmental activist who was a voice-over artist professionally, known for his work in commercials and narrating documentaries.
As a Liberal candidate in the 1981 provincial election he came within six votes of defeating future Premier Ernie Eves in Parry Sound.
In his acceptance speech Peterson said that he would move party to the 'vibrant middle, the radical centre', and stressed economic growth as a way to increase support for social services.