Rural electoral battleground shaping up in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex

The riding of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex(LKM) is one to keep a close eye on as leaders for both the NDP and PC Party circle the area, hoping to drum up support in southwestern Ontario.

Four years ago, PC candidate Monte McNaughton won the rural riding by more than 8,000 votes. The NDPwas in a distant second.

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Now that the two parties are neck and neck in the polls, many are wondering if the firm lead in 2014 can stop an orange candidate from wiping out the PC's presence.In the week before election day, both AndreaHorwathand Doug Ford have visited Ontario's most southern region.

Todd Case is the NDP candidate for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex trying to unseat the Progressive Conservatives. He served as the mayor of Warwick Township for the past 17 years.

Protecting rural schools, hospitals and addressing hydro rates are someof the biggest issues Case says he's hearing at the door.

"We have MPPs that like to write a lot of letters and it's a necessary evil," said Case. "I'll be very honest with you, I've always been the kind of guy who likes to develop relationships and I mean sitting across the table with stakeholders and community leaders."

Case also promised to hold four town hallmeetings each year and every year, in each corner of the riding to hear "the good, the bad, the ugly."

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McNaughton who won by a large margin in 2014 (seen below) says there's real 'momentum' this time around and he's noticed'quadruple' the number of lawn signswith his name on them.

"I'm getting the sense the PCs will wingovernment on June 7and I think the big difference this time is people want money back in their pockets," said the LKM incumbent."Small businesses and farmers are the same way. The negative impact of turbines also continues to come up from the people I talk to in the riding which I think gives the PCs the advantage, knowing we're not in favour of them."

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After finishing third in 2014, Mike Radanis once again running for the Liberals. He says despite what the polls are saying he's not experiencing a lot of anti-Liberal sentiment at the doors he's knocking on.

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"People seem most concerned about Doug Ford being a loose cannon and not having afully formed costed platform," said Radan. "[The Liberals]have done a lot of good in this region over the past four years including having the lowest unemployment rate in 20 years."

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Here's a full list of all nine candidates for the Lambton-Kent-Middlesex riding: