Boris Johnson overwhelmingly won the first round of voting Thursday in the race to replace outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May, with the field of candidates narrowed to seven from 10.
The Brexit-backing former foreign minister picked up 114 of the 313 votes cast in a secret ballot of Conservative Party lawmakers in the lower House of Commons.
Mark Harper, Esther McVey, and Andrea Leadsom, who came in second to May in the last leadership race in 2016, failed to collect the required 17 votes and were knocked out.
"Obviously we're happy with the results but there's still a long way to go to winning the contest," a spokesman for Johnson told reporters.
"You have to hold the numbers to go through to the next round," the spokesman said. "That's a challenge."
The outcome, if repeated in subsequent rounds which will further whittle down the field starting next Tuesday, is above the 105 votes Johnson would need to make the final two.
The last pair standing will go up before 160,000 voting Conservative Party members across the country.
The winner will become new party leader and automatically replace May as premier, most likely at the end of July.
Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt was a distant second with 43 votes.
Environment Minister Michael Gove was third with 37 votes, former Brexit minister Dominic Raab picked up 27, Home Secretary Sajid Javid won 23 votes, and Health Secretary Matt Hancock had 20.
International Development Secretary Rory Stewart snuck through in seventh place with 19 votes after running an original social media campaign that endeared him to more liberal party members - and the British public at large.
"This is now neck-and-neck going into the next round," Stewart told reporters after watching the results announcement.
"I feel really inspired and encouraged."
Hunt and Gove are widely seen as going head-to-head for votes from the more moderate wing of the party which favours a softer line on Brexit negotiations with the European Union.
Raab, like Johnson, has warned that he was ready to take Britain out of the EU without an agreement when the new Brexit deadline arrives in October, if the EU does not offer better terms.
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Open to no-deal in October
BORIS JOHNSON
The former foreign secretary, 54, says he would get Britain out of the EU "deal or no deal" when the October 31 deadline set by EU leaders comes around.
But he has also said a no-deal Brexit would be "a last resort, not something that anybody desires".
He has threatened to withhold the country's Brexit bill if the EU does not offer improved withdrawal terms, and to scrap a controversial provision for the Irish border contained in the current divorce deal -- both of which would be unacceptable to Brussels.
A figurehead in the 2016 Brexit campaign, he was May's foreign secretary until he resigned over her Brexit strategy.
Charismatic and popular with grassroots Conservatives, he is seen as the favourite in the race, scooping up a growing number of pledges of support from cabinet members and MPs.
Johnson picked up 114 votes in the first round of voting by Conservative MPs in the leadership race on Thursday.
DOMINIC RAAB
An ardent eurosceptic with a black belt in karate, the 45-year-old former Brexit minister resigned in protest at the deal struck with the EU by May.
He says Britain should be ready to walk away from the EU without an agreement while still trying to negotiate a better deal than the one May signed.
Raab sparked controversy last week by saying he would be willing to suspend parliament to force through a no-deal departure if necessary.
Raab won 27 votes on Thursday.
SAJID JAVID
A former investment banker and the son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver, Javid, 49, wants to be the face of a modern, multi-cultural and meritocratic Britain.
An economic liberal, Javid voted for Britain to stay in the EU in 2016 but has since become an advocate of Brexit.
He wants to leave on October 31, preferably with a deal but would prefer no deal over no Brexit.
He has picked up the notable endorsement of Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson.
Javid took 23 votes.
No to no-deal in October
JEREMY HUNT
The foreign secretary supported remaining in the EU but has switched since then.
The former businessman is a resilient politician, having headed the National Health Service for six years during a funding crisis.
The 52-year-old says he will push hard for a new deal with Brussels without taking the possibility of a no-deal outcome off the table.
Hunt won 43 votes on Thursday.
MICHAEL GOVE
The cerebral 51-year-old is among the most ardent eurosceptics left in May's government but is seen as a possible unifying figure between the two wings of the party.
Considered the second favourite, his campaign was thrown into turmoil this weekend after he admitted to using cocaine two decades ago.
Gove has signalled he could be open to delaying Brexit again rather than leave without a deal on October 31.
Gove picked up 37 votes.
Against no-deal at all
MATT HANCOCK
The 40-year-old health secretary is one of the party's rising stars, a moderate widely seen as competent at his job and skilful with the media.
He opposed Brexit during the 2016 referendum before switching sides.
Hancock scraped through with 20 votes on Thursday.
RORY STEWART
The international development secretary, 46, is a former Foreign Office official who served in the coalition administration in Iraq following the US-led invasion in 2003. He says a no-deal would be "damaging".
Stewart also barely made it on Thursday, winning 19 votes.