iz Truss has maintained she is still fighting for every vote despite polls suggesting she is on track to become the next prime minister.
After the first looting since the last two candidates were decided, Ms Truss has seen her fortunes soar with a YouGov poll of Tory voters showing that 50 per cent believed she outperformed Rishi Sunak (39 per cent) during the BBC debate on July 25.
An earlier poll by YouGov on July 21 put Ms Truss ahead with 62 to 38 percent support among Tory voters.
After the second debate in Leeds on Thursday, Ms Truss secured the support of Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, and former leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat, which dealt a further blow to Mr Sunak’s route to No. 10.
Speaking at an event in Bromley on Saturday, where her new backer also appeared, Ms Truss was asked if the race is now hers to lose, but the South West Norfolk MP told reporters: “This is a very, very close race , and I fight for every vote.”
Asked about her plan to help people facing the escalating cost of living, Ms Truss reiterated her promises to reverse the surge in national insurance and impose a temporary moratorium on green energy taxes.
She added: “The way we are going to handle this crisis is by growing the economy.”
However, Ms Truss admitted that she was “delighted” to have Mr Tugendhat as a supporter, although she insisted she is not handing out cabinet jobs yet.
Mr Sunak, who traveled to Winchester, spoke of his commitment to protecting farming communities.
In a piece for Coutryside Alliance magazine, following a separate article by his rival, he said that “agriculture is part of the DNA” of his North Yorkshire headquarters, Richmond, while vowing to “always support our farmers”.
But while he said his “mission has always been to do things ‘for’ rural communities, not ‘for’ them”, the ex-chancellor has not formulated any specific policies to help them.
Speaking later in West Sussex, Mr Sunak is expected to launch an attack on “woke nonsense”, although he will state that he has “no interest in fighting a so-called culture war”.
The hopeful Tory leaders will also pledge to “end brainwashing, vandalism and finger pointing” and “protect British liberties” if he becomes prime minister.
The pair will take part in further husting events before clashing again in a live debate on Sky News on August 4.
The deadline to vote is September 2, and a new prime minister will be announced three days later.