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Last week, Mayor Ivy Taylor's new campaign director told us Taylor was going to get "back to her roots" before the June 10 runoff election against Councilman Ron Nirenberg.

Judging by the campaign's most recent move, that apparently means the online trolling of her "liberal" opponent.

On Wednesday, the website LiberalRon.com started making the rounds in political circles on social media. The site loudly welcomes visitors with the gigantic words "Liberal Ron Nirenberg for Mayor" and features a fake news story chiding Nirenberg for supposedly flip-flopping on a number of city issues.

The story, complete with faux Nirenberg quotes, sprinkles in a few examples of the councilman's shifting views on specific issues, like when he voted to approve the construction of the Vista Ridge Pipeline, a project that would funnel water from the Hill Country to San Antonio that is, before he later raised concerns about what he calls serious changes to the contract. Or when Nirenberg supported the rezoning of the Mission Trails mobile home park to allow for the construction of a luxury apartment complex and later, after learning of how the park's tenants were negatively impacted by the decision, called it a mistake.

Colin Strother, Taylor's new campaign strategist, told the Currentthat the campaign is just trying to have a little fun with the site and thinks it'll bring a breath of fresh air to politics. A blurb posted at the bottom of the site telling readers to call a phone number and yell "FLIP FLOP" to get a discount on some sandals (get it?!). That number, of course, dials Nirenberg's campaign headquarters.

Is this the "breath of fresh air" San Antonio voters are looking for in local politics? The move seems fairly standard at this point. At the beginning of this mayoral campaign, Taylor's camp bought the domain VoteRonSA.org (easily confused with Nirenberg's VoteRonSA.com), which rerouted visitors to Taylor's campaign page prompting an anonymous person to do the exact same thing with VoteIvy.org and Nirenberg's site (his campaign team claimed it wasn't them, but he's admitted to similar stunts in the past.)

This time around, however, the online trolling extends to Nirenberg's progressive followers. The site uses textbook conservative caricatures of liberals to attack the councilman like saying he'll bring a "nanny state" to San Antonio, tank job production, and protect the environment. They even make a cringeworthy yoga reference (because making fun of a granola-loving lefty in yoga pants isn't the laziest way to burn a liberal).

Perhaps this is Taylor's way of cementing herself as the "conservative" candidate after seeing North Side precinctsthat originally voted for her in the 2015 election swing toward Nirenberg this time around.

It's a tactic that certainly seems to clash with the message Taylor delivered at Tuesday's mayoral debate, during which she touted her own "track record of building consensus."

A day later, the campaign went live with LiberalRon.com.

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So This Is Apparently What Mayor Taylor's Campaign Thinks of ... - San Antonio Current

Montreal Gazette

Coalitions could unseat Quebec Liberals, a new poll suggests Montreal Gazette A new poll suggests the Coalition avenir Qubec's popularity is surging and that a political merger could unseat the governing Liberals. If an election were held this month, the CAQ would garner 26 per cent of the vote, outperforming the PQ's 23 per ... and more »

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Coalitions could unseat Quebec Liberals, a new poll suggests - Montreal Gazette

It happens every four years: Iranian go to the polls, over-eager analysts get caught up in the horse race, and journalists fall into the trap of exaggerating differences between the candidates to coincide more with the Western notion liberal-conservative divide than with the differences permissible in the Iranian political sphere. Throw into the mix blind acceptance of Iranian statistics with regard to participation and a conflation of reporting from the capital Tehran with events throughout a country six times the size of Great Britain and the analytical malpractice is complete.

Voters cast their ballots during the presidential election in a Jewish and Christian district in the center of Tehran, Iran, May 19, 2017. TIMA via REUTERS.

Look at the big picture:

First, the elections arent an outlet for the Iranian people to change society; they are a means for the Supreme Leader, like a master marionette, to shuffle around the factions in power to keep any single group from growing too powerful.

Second, Westerners should not project terms like reformism, liberalism, and conservatism upon Iranian politicians. Firstly, just because one figureEbrahim Raisi, for exampleis hardline does not mean that his opponent, Hassan Rouhani, is liberal, reformist, or even moderate unless, of course, liberalism and moderation mean commitment to the destruction of Israel, support for Hezbollah, continued gender segregation, repression of religious freedom, and commitment to the export of revolution. Likewise, many of the so-called conservatives actually embrace an economic philosophy more akin to socialism than to free market capitalism.

The simple facts are these: Irans elections are more about style than substance. The president doesnt have control over key policies or the security forces. The presence of factions does not mean the divisions between factions are significant. To get caught up in election fever risks playing into Irans good cop-bad cop strategy, an Iranian tactic which for too long has allowed them to advance their interests with impunity.

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Stop looking for liberals in Iran's elections - American Enterprise Institute

Traditional liberal strongholds teamed up with the growing progressive class of greater Center City in Philadelphias primary election Tuesday to give Larry Krasner and Rebecca Rhynhart impressive victories in the races for district attorney and controller.

Twenty-nine of the top 30 divisions with the highest voter turnout are in Northwest Philadelphia, Center City, and West Philadelphia, according to data analyzed by NBC10.

When compared to a map of results(courtesy of local mapmaker Wes Weaver)in the district attorneys race, the high-turnout neighborhoods line up with those that voted for Krasner for district attorney. He is a defense attorney with no prosecutorial experience who is expected to upend the culture in the DAs office.

The high-turnout locations also help explain how Rhynhart, a former city budget official, easily -- and surprisingly -- beat Alan Butkovitz, a three-term controller and longtime Democratic Party machine leader in the city.

Rhynhart, 42, was a favorite of the citys rising progressive political class, with many calling Center City home.

The neighborhoods that favored her greatly out-voted those that have traditionally favored Butkovitz in the Northeast and South Philadelphia.

When it comes to turnout, the power wards of Northwest Philadelphia once again showed their strength. Numerous divisions in the Ninth, 21st and 22nd wards turned out at more than 35 percent, according to the data provided by the City Commissioners Office.

That compares to an overall city turnout of 17 percent. All the figures are preliminary until the commissioners certify the results, which will take place in the next three weeks.

In addition to the Northwest and the growing influence of downtown progressives (who live in the Second, Fifth, Eighth, 15th and 30th wards), one ward in West Philadelphia also proved consequential on Election Day.

The 46th ward covers much of the neighborhoods north of Baltimore Avenue from 45th to 58th streets as well as south of Baltimore and west of Clark Park.

The highest total votes cast for a single division in the city was 446 in the 46th wards 17th division, which encompasses the Cedar Park neighborhood. Turnout was 44 percent.

Ryan Godfrey, a polling place inspector for the division, marveled at the high number of voters on Election Day. The makeup of the neighborhood mirrors the results in the citys two biggest races.

This is a super activist community, he said. Were in Cedar Park and theres lots of people interested in politics and the local politics especially.

He said his neighborhood doesnt need a political machine apparatus to get out the vote.

With the end near for Butkovitz, who is symbolic of Philadelphias old guard, the entire city this week took a step in that direction.

Below is the list of the 30 divisions in Philadelphia by most votes cast in the 2017 primary election:

Published at 2:52 PM EDT on May 18, 2017 | Updated at 8:24 AM EDT on May 19, 2017

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Liberals, Progressives Beat Up Philadelphia's Party Machine on Election Day - NBC 10 Philadelphia

A new Forum Research poll shows the Ontario Liberals have crept up in popularity. They are now just ahead of the NDP. Both are still far behind the Tories. Queen's Park analyst Robert Fisher talks about what might be behind the latest jump in pubic support for Kathleen Wynne's Ontario Liberal party.

Fisher spoke with theCBC'sConradCollacoabout the new poll and the decision by Ontario NDP Deputy Leader Jagmeet Singh to run for the leadership of the federal party to replace Tom Mulcair.Listen to the full interview by clicking the image at the top of the page, or read an edited and abridged transcript below.

Veteran political analyst Robert Fisher delivers his insights into Ontario politics every two weeks. (CBC)

AForum Research poll done May 9thfound the Conservatives in the lead with 41 percent support, followed by the Liberals at 28 and the NDP at 23.It was a change from a March poll that showed the Liberalsin third place.Why do you think the Liberals have rebounded?

It's a snapshot in time. If they were to take a poll today who knows what the numbers might be. Considering the timing of the poll, taken right after the budget, you must say the numbers must in some way reflect the budget. The poll found that there was "major support" for the Liberal pharmacare plan and for the expansion of rent control. These numbers are a long way away from the numbers in the Forum March poll. The question now is can the government continue what appears to be upward movement. Even senior Liberals will acknowledge privately that there is a long, hard road back to the top for Kathleen Wynne.

This week at Queen's Park news came of a leaked report saying rates will skyrocket in 2022.The Liberals say it's an old document.NDP Leader AndreaHorwathcalled for the legislature to sit for an extra week to address the issue. Why are we still waiting for the Liberals to pass the cut in hydro rates they've been promising for months?

If you have a majority government you can do what you want. Earlier in the week the budget was passed. The government used its majority. They could do the same with hydro. There will be more public hearings next week on hydro and maybe the whole plan is not yet put together. The opposition asked and asked and asked all weekfor cost numbers on the hydro plan but they were never delivered while the governmentdenied the numbers in the leaked report.

At some point the hydro plan is going to be in place because the government is absolutely committed to having a 24 percent rate cut in place by thesummer. If you're Kathleen Wynne and have a 15 percent approval rating it's a promise you'd better keep.

If this legislation doesn't get passed before the summer breakwill the Liberals pay for that delay?

Yes and no. At some point the government will pass it. Andrea Horwath tried and failed to get the legislature to sit an extra week. It's not that the opposition is against cutting rates. The opposition has long called for rate cuts. They are concernedthat if we have a cut now what will happen after the next election, say four years from now after the next election.The public hearings will answer some questions and the government will provide more details at some point but ultimately the plan will go ahead.

How are the party leaders doing in the polls?

For the Liberalsthe long road back to the top includes dealing with Kathleen Wynne'spopularity. At 15 percent approval that's a problem when we are about a year from an election. The disapproval of Kathleen Wynneis at 70 percent, sort of historic highs. Patrick Brown and Andrea Horwath have more positives than negatives. They are pretty close together in the category of who would make the best premier.The poll also indicates that both are still, for many people in Ontario, largely unknown. They have some work to do.

In partial defence of the two opposition leaders historically Ontarians don't pay a lot of attention to provincial politics between elections. While Ms. Horwath has been around for a long time it would be a concern to both parties thatthere is a lack of identifiability particularly for Patrick Brown. Lots of work for them to do between now and June 2018.

One other change at Queen's Park this week was the announcement by now former NDP deputy leader Jagmeet Singh that he's running for the federal NDP leadership.How do you see that affecting the provincial NDP?

I don't see this as Mr. Singh abandoning Andrea Horwath in her hour of need. He had flirted with the federal party before. In 2015 there was a lot of talk he would be a candidate. Instead he stayed at Queen's Park and was offered and accepted a role as deputy leader.He's going to keep his seat as an MPP for Bramalea-Gore-Maltonand should he fail I've been told he'll run provincially. If Ms. Horwath fails to bring her party at least to official opposition in the next election she is probably going to be history. Guess who will be there to seek the provincial party leadership. None other than JagmeetSingh. He's collected many IOU's, politically speaking, in Ontario and other provinces as well. He thinks long range and maybe he's got his eyes on the first prize in Ottawa and prize 1A at Queen's Park.

He has already affected the federal race in that he is a candidate who is very different from the others who are there including wearing the turban, the custom-made suits, the appearance in Gentleman's Quarterly Magazine not too many New Democrat candidates appear in Gentleman's Quarterly Magazine.

Mr Singh is very interesting guy. He is fluently bilingual. My Francophone friends tell me his French is more than passable. He campaigned for the NDP in Alberta and in the last B.C. election. He's well known in Ontario in his role as deputy leader. He's going to make a difference in the campaign. He might not win but he'll raise his profile.

Another interesting note on his resume He's a trained mixed-marital arts fighter in Brazilian jiu-jitsuas well...

Yes. He'dbe up against the boxer in Justin Trudeau. Boxing over jiu-jitsu or jiu-jitsu over boxing? Nevertheless, he's all of that and more. That makes him an interesting and unique candidate in any race he's in.

Jagmeet Singh is a lawyer and deputy leader of the Ontario NDP. He speaks French and Punjabi and has represented a Brampton riding in the provincial legislature since 2011. (Mike Crawley/CBC)

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Guess who's back Liberals rise in latest Ontario politics poll: Fisher - CBC.ca