DPP signals wish for Lee Ying-yuan to face Mayor Ma

DPP lawmakers yesterday expressed strong support for Cabinet Secretary-General Lee Ying-yuan (李應元), one of the party's leading candidates to run against popular Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in the year-end Taipei mayoral polls.

DPP headquarters is due to recommend three potential candidates on Friday to incoming DPP chairman and President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and outgoing DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷).

The two are scheduled to make public the final candidate by the end of May.

Besides Lee, other potential candidates reportedly include DPP lawmakers Mark Chen (陳唐山) and Hong Chi-chang (洪其昌).

While all of the three dismissed speculation that they would represent the party in the race, DPP lawmakers were keen to praise Lee.

DPP legislative whip Wang Tuoh (王拓) said that Lee has everything he needs to win.

"He's highly educated, creative and amiable and an elegant speaker," Wang said.

Wang dismissed talk that Lee's comparatively less-than-perfect looks might serve as a disadvantage.

"I have great confidence in the residents of Taipei City. I don't think they're that shallow," Wang said.

Visiting the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) legislative caucus yesterday morning, Lee again brushed aside speculation that he will run in the race.

"I score poorly in opinion polls," he said. "Besides, I'd like to stay in my current position to help the premier with government affairs."

Some TSU lawmakers proposed yesterday that Lee team up with Annie Lee (李安妮), the youngest child of former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), to jointly run in the race.

The TSU had previously proposed that Annie Lee represent the fledgling party in the election.

Commenting on the TSU's proposal yesterday, Hsieh said that it would be a "creative combination."

"The DPP doesn't rule out the possibility of cooperating with other parties in the Taipei mayoral election," Hsieh said.

Hong said that although DPP headquarters did ask about his intentions in regard to the race, he said he wasn't much interested.

"I told them that Lee Ying-yuan may be a better choice because he's signaled to me in private that he's interested in running," he said.

Mark Chen, with eight years under his belt as a Tainan County commissioner, also dismissed suggestions that he might represent the party in the election.

"Neither has the idea of running ever crossed my mind, nor has anyone from party headquarters ever gotten in contact with me to discuss the matter," he said.

When asked whether he is interested in running, he failed to give a definite answer.

"We'll talk about it when the president does ask me about the matter," he said. "Besides, I need time to prepare myself for a brand-new challenge."