Tsai does not need Ko
According to the latest public opinion poll carried out by a think tank close to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who won the DPP’s presidential primary, has an average approval rate of more than 40 percent in Taiwan’s counties and municipalities.
Her regional approval rates were 50 percent in Taichung, Changhua and Nantou, 54 percent in Kaohsiung and Pingtung, and more than 60 percent in Yunlin, Chiayi and Tainan.
With regard to age groups, her approval ratings were 65 percent in the 20 to 29 age group and 54 percent among people aged between 30 and 39.
In fact, Tsai’s ratings have been gradually improving in opinion polls conducted by various organizations, no matter whether they simply compare support for the DPP and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) or pit them against third-party or independent rivals.
Generally speaking, the polls put Tsai ahead of other possible choices, including Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜).
Tsai’s rival in the DPP primary, former premier William Lai (賴清德), took his loss like a gentleman and called for people to wholeheartedly support Tsai’s bid for re-election.
This has been a big boost for the DPP and for Tsai, in contrast to the internal struggles and disorder going on in the KMT, and compared with Ko’s fence-sitting and distasteful remarks.
It is therefore no surprise that Tsai’s opinion poll results keep improving.
The main reasons for her high ratings are that the public generally approves of Tsai’s resolve to carry out reforms and the results she has achieved, and her determination to uphold the nation’s sovereignty and independence.
The KMT’s prospective candidates cannot match Tsai in these respects, and neither can Ko.
According to newspaper reports, former vice premier Lin Hsi-yao (林錫耀), who is in charge of Tsai’s strategy for her re-election bid, put out the message that the DPP should not attack Ko or offend his supporters.
This is a ridiculous idea. Ko was only elected mayor originally because the DPP gave way to him, but after being elected he changed completely and sometimes even treated the DPP as an enemy. His campaign for re-election last year disappointed DPP supporters even more.
If anyone else suggests the idea of a joint election bid with Tsai standing for president and Ko for vice president, or that Ko cannot be criticized at all, DPP supporters will rightly see it as an unacceptable degree of self-belittlement.
Chen An-wen
New Taipei City
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