Editing Andrea Horwath (section)

==Provincial politics==
Horwath was elected to the [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]] in a 2004 by-election in the then-extant provincial [[electoral district (Canada)|riding]] of [[Hamilton East (provincial electoral district)|Hamilton East]], defeating [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberal]] candidate Ralph Agostino to succeed the deceased Liberal member [[Dominic Agostino]], Ralph's brother. Winning 63.6 per cent of the vote, up from the NDP's 29.4 per cent in that riding six months earlier, her landslide victory boosted the NDP's seat count over the threshold for [[official party status]] in the legislature, and helped give the federal [[New Democratic Party]] a bounce in Hamilton that would continue into the [[2004 Canadian federal election|federal election]] shortly thereafter.

In the [[2007 Ontario general election|2007 election]], Horwath ran in the new riding of [[Hamilton Centre (federal electoral district)|Hamilton Centre]], due to [[Redistribution (election)|redistricting]] that divided her former Hamilton East riding between Hamilton Centre and the new riding of [[Hamilton East—Stoney Creek (federal electoral district)|Hamilton East—Stoney Creek]]. Horwath's new Hamilton Centre riding included approximately half of her former riding as well as a portion of the former Hamilton West riding where she had run federally in 1997. It also included her entire former city council ward.

In the lead up to the campaign, Horwath was expected to face Hamilton West Liberal incumbent [[Judy Marsales]]. However, Marsales opted not to run for another term, and Horwath easily defeated Liberal candidate Steve Ruddick on election day.

===Leader of the Ontario NDP===
====2009 leadership election====
[[File:Andrea Horwath 2009.jpg|thumb|Horwath during a debate in the 2009 NDP leadership election]]
{{Main|2009 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election}}
On November 7, 2008, Horwath officially launched her campaign to win the party's leadership. The [[2009 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election|leadership election]] was held March 6–8, 2009. Horwath led on the first two ballots, and won on the third ballot with 60.4% of the vote defeating [[Peter Tabuns]], [[Gilles Bisson]] and [[Michael Prue]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/horwath-wins-ontario-ndp-leadership/article1149744/ |title=Horwath wins Ontario NDP leadership |last=Campbell |first=Murray |date=March 7, 2009 |work=The Globe and Mail |access-date=November 11, 2018}}</ref>

====2011 general election====
{{main|2011 Ontario general election}}
The [[2011 Ontario general election|2011 provincial election]] saw a rise in support for the NDP under Horwath's leadership. The party won more than 20% of the popular vote for the first time since [[1995 Ontario general election|1995]] and almost doubled its seats to elect 17 members of the legislature. The election also resulted in the Liberal government of [[Dalton McGuinty]] being reduced to a [[minority government]] with the NDP holding the balance of power.

In April 2012, Horwath passed a [[leadership review]] at the party's convention with 76% support.

====2014 general election====
{{main|2014 Ontario general election}}
[[File:Rassemblement du Nouveau Parti démocratique de l'Ontario, Sudbury - 26 mai 2014.JPG|thumb|left|Horwath during the [[2014 Ontario general election|2014 provincial election campaign]]]]
On May 4, Horwath announced that the NDP would be voting against the Liberals' proposed budget, triggering a spring election.<ref name="Huffington Post"/> Following this, Premier [[Kathleen Wynne]] formally asked [[Lieutenant Governor of Ontario|Lieutenant Governor]] [[David Onley]] to [[dropping the writ|dissolve the legislature and call an election]] for June 12, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/05/02/ontario-election-to-be-called-as-ndp-leader-andrea-horwath-says-she-can-no-longer-support-liberals/ |title=Ontario election called for June 12 as Kathleen Wynne's Liberals lose support of NDP {{pipe}} National Post |publisher=News.nationalpost.com |date=2014-05-02 |access-date=2014-05-29}}</ref> In the [[2014 Ontario general election|2014 provincial election]], the NDP was able to maintain its seat count of 21 at dissolution despite the loss of three seats in Toronto, but lost the balance of power when the Liberals took a majority win in the election. Horwath has faced criticism from some party members and progressives for running a [[populism|populist]] campaign which they described as right-wing.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario_election/2014/05/28/gang_of_34_letter_points_to_real_problems_within_horwaths_ndp_walkom.html|title=Gang of 34 letter points to real problems within Horwath's NDP|date=May 28, 2014|access-date=May 15, 2017|first=Thomas|last=Walkom|work=[[Toronto Star]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516003650/https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario_election/2014/05/28/gang_of_34_letter_points_to_real_problems_within_horwaths_ndp_walkom.html|archive-date=May 16, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Despite criticism of her leadership from some quarters, Horwath received a slightly increased level of support, 77%, at the party's post-election convention held on November 15.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/11/15/andrea-horwath-wins-77-percent-in-leadership-review-at-ndp-convention-will-stay-on-as-leader/|title=Andrea Horwath wins 77 percent in leadership review at NDP convention, will stay on as leader|first=Keith|last=Leslie|work=[[National Post]]|date=November 15, 2014|access-date=May 15, 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141116094556/http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/11/15/andrea-horwath-wins-77-percent-in-leadership-review-at-ndp-convention-will-stay-on-as-leader/|archive-date=November 16, 2014|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

====2018 general election====
{{main|2018 Ontario general election}}
Horwath ran in her [[2018 Ontario general election|third election]] as NDP leader against the Liberal government led by [[Kathleen Wynne]] and a Progressive Conservative Party led by [[Doug Ford]]. Horwath promised to introduce "Canada's first universal Pharmacare plan", highlighted by a universal [[dental plan]] and a [[prescription drug]] plan that "will initially cover 125 of the most commonly prescribed drugs".<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/03/19/andrea-horwath-unveils-12b-public-dental-plan.html |title=Andrea Horwath unveils $1.2B public dental plan |last1=Benzie |first1=Robert |date=March 19, 2018 |work=Toronto Star |access-date=May 30, 2018 |last2=Rushowy |first2=Kristin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529202952/https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/03/19/andrea-horwath-unveils-12b-public-dental-plan.html |archive-date=May 29, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="Benzie">{{Cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-ndp-universal-health-care-1.4581129 |title=Ontario NDP pledges full dental coverage as part of universal health care plan |last=Benzie |first=Robert |date=March 17, 2018 |work=Toronto Star |access-date=May 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529094850/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-ndp-universal-health-care-1.4581129 |archive-date=May 29, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> She also promised a [[child care]] plan in which seventy per cent of Ontario parents "would either have free child care or pay an average of $12 a day in a licensed not-for-profit daycare".<ref name="Benzie"/> Horwath promised to return [[Hydro One]] to public ownership by buying back privately held shares.<ref name="thestar.com">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/05/22/live-at-noon-ontario-ndp-leader-andrea-horwath-answers-your-questions-at-the-toronto-star-editorial-board.html |title=An NDP government would not use back-to-work legislation to end strikes, party leader Andrea Horwath says |last=Ferguson |first=Rob |date=May 22, 2018 |work=Toronto Star |access-date=May 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529230818/https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/05/22/live-at-noon-ontario-ndp-leader-andrea-horwath-answers-your-questions-at-the-toronto-star-editorial-board.html |archive-date=May 29, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> She also said that she would close the [[Pickering Nuclear Generating Station]] immediately, while the other party leaders have pledged to keep it open until 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/05/22/ontario-elecion-promises/ |title=Promises from Ontario's 3 main political parties on nuclear and booze |date=May 22, 2018 |access-date=May 30, 2018 |publisher=The Canadian Press |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529130149/http://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/05/22/ontario-elecion-promises/ |archive-date=May 29, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The NDP promised to increase corporate tax rates from 11.5 to 12.5 per cent,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/ontario-ndp-would-hike-corporate-taxes-horwath-1.1833305 |title=Ontario NDP would hike corporate taxes: Horwath |last=Leslie |first=Keith |date=May 22, 2014 |access-date=May 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529131619/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/ontario-ndp-would-hike-corporate-taxes-horwath-1.1833305 |archive-date=May 29, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> as well as introducing an income tax increase for those earning over $220,000 per year.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-election-ndp-andrea-horwath-1.4672808 |title=As Ontario NDP rises in polls, its platform and candidates get closer scrutiny |last=Crawley |first=Mike |date=May 23, 2018 |work=CBC News |access-date=May 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529184503/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-election-ndp-andrea-horwath-1.4672808 |archive-date=May 29, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Horwath said the province would fund half of the operating cost of municipal transit<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/05/17/ontario-election-campaign-may17/ |title=Ontario NDP, Liberals talk transit promises after Ford pledges gas price cut |date=May 17, 2018 |access-date=May 30, 2018 |publisher=The Canadian Press |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529130036/http://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/05/17/ontario-election-campaign-may17/ |archive-date=May 29, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and indicated that she would not introduce back-to-work legislation.<ref name="thestar.com" /> The party's support in [[2018 Ontario general election|public opinion polls]] increased in May 2018,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4228028/ndp-tories-tied-at-37-per-cent-support-new-poll-suggests/ |title=NDP, Tories tied at 37 per cent support, new poll suggests; Liberals trail at 21 |last=Perkel |first=Colin |date=May 24, 2018 |work=Global News |access-date=May 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524142849/https://globalnews.ca/news/4228028/ndp-tories-tied-at-37-per-cent-support-new-poll-suggests/ |archive-date=May 24, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> leading to greater media attention and greater scrutiny. With her party gaining [[official opposition]] status, she became the [[Leader of the Official Opposition (Ontario)|Leader of the Official Opposition]] during the [[42nd Parliament of Ontario|42nd Parliament]], the second highest number of seats in the party's history.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/an-opportunity-missed-andrea-horwath-welcomes-loss-as-victory |title=An opportunity missed, Andrea Horwath welcomes loss as victory |last=Brean |first=Joseph |date=June 8, 2018 |work=National Post |access-date=July 3, 2018 |quote=She meant the NDP's 33 per cent of the popular vote and 40 ridings is the best showing in a provincial election since Rae}}</ref> The NDP took all of old Toronto (i.e., what was the city of Toronto before the 1998 creation of the "megacity" of Toronto), as well as all but one seat in Hamilton and all but one seat in Niagara.

====2022 general election====
{{main|2022 Ontario general election}}
Horwath and the NDP released their 2022 platform in April 2022. The NDP's campaign focused on increased funding for social programs and government services, which would be paid for through higher taxes on businesses and individuals earning over $200,000 per year. Funding would go toward reducing class sizes, raising welfare payments and disability payments, subsidies for black, indigenous and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, hiring more healthcare and education staff and increased wages for public servants. The NDP also proposed to expand COVID-19 vaccine mandates, implement a mixed member proportional electoral system, to close down all privately owned long-term care facilities and to stop the construction of new highway projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ontariondp.ca/sites/default/files/ondp_platform_booklet_bilingual_final_26apr_compressed.pdf|title=Strong. Ready. Working for You|website=ontariondp.ca|access-date=24 June 2023}}</ref> Horwath was re-elected in Hamilton Centre and the NDP won opposition, but it lost 9 seats and placed third in the popular vote.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Powers |first=Lucas |date=3 June 2022 |title=Ontario's Progressive Conservatives sail to 2nd majority, NDP and Liberal leaders say they will resign |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-election-2022-results-ford-horwath-del-duca-1.6473595 |website=[[CBC News]]}}</ref> Horwath resigned as leader election night. The election set a record for the lowest voter turnout in an Ontario provincial election, as only 44.06% of the people who were eligible voted. On August 15, 2022, she resigned as the MPP for Hamilton Centre.