Time is short for PFP in Taichung mayoral race

The People First Party should nominate a mayoral candidate soon to consolidate support for party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) ahead of the 2004 presidential election -- according to Kuo Yen-shen (郭晏生), director of the PFP's Taichung City party headquarters.

Soong won a majority of votes in the city in last year's presidential contest. But the party has yet to capitalize on its success by putting forward a candidate for the city's top job.

"What's important is that an identifiable segment of the voters are a part of the PFP camp," Kuo, a former speaker of the Taichung City Council, told the Taipei Times in a recent interview. If the party fails to nominate a candidate soon, "we'll be left out in the cold."

The DPP has put forward Michael Tsai (蔡明憲), a seasoned lawmaker. Former minister of foreign affairs Jason Hu (胡志強) is running for the KMT.

Incumbent DPP Mayor Chang Wen-ying (張溫鷹), who lost her party's nomination earlier this year, has launched a maverick campaign to hang on to her seat.

By Kuo's calculations, the PFP has until the end of this month to field a candidate.

"The decision should have been made in July, but was postponed as a result of the complicated situation in the Taipei County's commissioner's election," Kuo said.

"But Chairman Soong must make a decision no later than the end of this month, otherwise it will be too late."

One possible candidate is PFP Vice Chairman Chang Chao-hsiung (張昭雄), who has moved his household registration to Taichung City to qualify for the race.

In Kuo's view, joining the fray would be politically prudent. Taichung is the nation's third largest city, and the constituency would be valuable to Soong should he decide to run for presidency in 2004.

"There are two elements here," Kuo said. "First, the KMT's Hu attacked Soong during the 2000 presidential race, and therefore if Hu wins the election, communication between the two parties is likely to be minimal at best. That would be damaging to a Soong presidential run."

"Secondly, if we field a candidate, regardless of the outcome, the PFP will have a voice and attention will have to be paid to the party -- before and after the presidential election."

If the PFP doesn't put forth a contender, the party will likely throw its support behind incumbent Chang.

Chang was a Taiwan Provincial Assembly deputy when Soong was provincial governor and the two continue to share close ties.

The PFP estimates that it has at least 220,000 votes in Taichung City, based on the 2000 presidential elections.

Some of those votes, Kuo said, would go to the KMT's candidate and few would go to the DPP.

"Under such circumstances, most of these votes will naturally go to an independent candidate. This includes at least 70,000 to 80,000 votes," Kuo said.

Such a scenario leaves only Chang.

"Especially if we take the next presidential election into account. The only way we would be able to have some leverage is if we cooperate with an independent, like Chang," Kuo said.

"Chang has the advantage of being an incumbent and she works tirelessly," he said.