Abattle of giants is likely shaping up in a riding in the 2007 Ontario election that

would be watched almost as much as the results for the province.

John Tory, who has held Dufferin-PeelWellington-Grey, a seat safe for his party, since soon after he was chosen Progressive Conservative leader in 2004, has said that he will run this time in Toronto, where he was born, raised and worked.

Tory said he also wants to show that his party can win ridings in the province's biggest city, where it failed to win even one in 2003. It would have difficulty forming a government without some representation in the provincial capital.

Tory lives in Toronto Centre-Rosedale riding, which is the obvious place for him to run and where its Liberal MPP, Health Minister George Smitherman, has invited, challenged and taunted him to run.

Smitherman put out a news release saying that there are rumours that Tory will run in his riding, but Tory has thus far refused to confirm them.

Smitherman said he is delighted and proud that Tory lives in his riding and would encourage him to run where he lives and worked for many years as a corporate chief executive officer.

The health minister said MPPs should have strong connections to those who elect them - another way of insisting that Tory run where he lives. He added that he and Tory come from very different backgrounds, their parties have different visions and he would welcome the chance of having his riding judge them.

Tory has said he is excited about running in Toronto because he knows and cares about the city and wants to make it stronger.

However, the Conservative leader would have difficulty winning Toronto CentreRosedale. The Rosedale part is home to many of the super-rich, but the riding also contains many low-income residents.

Smitherman won in 1999 and comfortably in 2003, with 52 per cent of the vote. He is a hard worker who made his name as an opposition backbencher by always being at the legislature to answer reporters' questions, even when it was not sitting. He is a capable defender of health policies, and is among a small group of ministers Premier Dalton McGuinty chooses to fill in for him when he is away.

He was the first openly gay MPP and has strong support in his riding's gay community, the largest in the province, although it is nowhere near numerous enough to win on its own.

Smitherman has already hinted at some criticisms he will make. Tory has been wealthy from birth and Smitherman made his own way, and Tory was CEO of a huge cable TV company when it fired hundreds of employees.

The two have not shown any love for each other in the legislature. Smitherman once said Tory thought he had found a smoking gun, but instead shot himself in the foot, and "does not even understand the subject the has delved into."

Smitherman has also referred to "John Tory Esquire," an outdated term used to describe a man of substance, and Tory shot back, "I'd rather be that than George Smitherman B.S." and the Speaker had to separate them.

The Liberals also have also been quick to point out that Tory, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Toronto in 2003 but won admiration, had demanded a new deal for the city, yet voted against Liberal legislation that gives it more powers to steer development and impose taxes, and will raise this in an election. Tory said the law focuses too much on new ways to extract money from residents.

However, Tory would look unsure of himself if he did not run where he lives, and the riding earlier elected Conservatives for many years.

Tory also made many friends in his run for mayor, raised money for recent gay pride festivities and is articulate and personable.

If Tory ran and lost, his party would either have to find him a safe seat again or start another leadership race with no one with his promise in sight.

It would be a huge setback.