Rob Ford’s response to last month’s ice storm appears to have paid off for Toronto’s embattled mayor.  A Forum Research poll has found Ford’s approval rating has gone up to 47 percent, which is an increase from 42 percent during the last poll on December 9th.  The survey conducted Monday night also reveals the percentage of people who say they will vote for Ford in this October’s election jumped to 41 percent, compared with 33 percent last month.  And in a series of hypothetical match-ups with other mayoral contenders, Rob Ford now comes out on top of every race, even if both John Tory and Olivia Chow decide to run.  Forum president Lorne Bozinoff says Ford “was out and about during the ice storm and did a good job.”  But Mayor Ford was criticized for deciding not to call a state of emergency.  The mayor has been plagued by a crack cocaine scandal for months.  He registered to run for re-election last Thursday.