[1] Davis had been expected to call an election to seek a further mandate from the voters, but surprised pundits by retiring from political life instead.
Four of Davis's cabinet ministers announced their intentions to seek the leadership: Frank Miller, Dennis Timbrell, Larry Grossman, and Roy McMurtry.
Grossman and McMurtry were considered to be Red Tories who would continue in the tradition of moderate government maintained by Davis and his predecessor as leader and premier, John Robarts.
Miller was supported by the right wing of the party, who believed that he would take a more aggressive approach to reducing the size of the provincial government.
As each candidate with the fewest votes was dropped after each ballot, he threw his support behind Grossman, which seemed to confirm the 'Anybody But Miller' pact theory.
Timbrell and Grossman announced their intentions to run, along with Alan Pope, who had been Minister of Natural Resources in the Davis government.