OTTAWA - Kevin O'Leary says he and Maxime Bernier went several rounds trying to convince the other to drop out of the Conservative leadership race.
But O'Leary says he was ultimately the one to leave because Bernier had the better argument -- the seats needed in Quebec for a parliamentary majority could only be delivered by a Quebec-based leader.
O'Leary says while he's now gone from the race, he doesn't intend to be forgotten.
Instead, the reality TV star and businessman said his campaign team and Bernier's are merging in order together deliver Bernier the leadership and then the federal election in 2019.
O'Leary insists that his decision to drop out of the race wasn't motivated by the concern that losing it would tarnish his personal brand.
He told The Canadian Press he'll prove that by campaigning for the Conservatives from now until the next election to fulfil his original promise to unseat the Trudeau Liberals.
