Just brutal for all involved.
Ford's selection as PC Leader changes a lot - it puts the Conservatives in play in some 416 ridings and eats into the NDP vote in Niagara and the Southwest.
Ford's selection also makes this a real binary race. With Wynne taking positions that voters perceive as NDP-esque (the only people that care about hydro privatization are already voting NDP) Ford presents a clear alternative to Wynne and Horwath.
He's a boor but he could well win it.
The question is, if he ends up with a minority, will the NDP prop up Wynne?