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Legislator Lee Chia-chin drops out of commissioner race

KMT Legislator Chou Hsi-wei, right, shakes hands with an emotional Lee Chia-chin, also a KMT legislator, who announced during a press conference yesterday he would be withdrawing from the party's primaries for Taipei county commissioner. Lee said his decision was made in the interests of unity within the pan blue camp. PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lee Chia-chin (李嘉進) tearfully dropped out of his party's primaries for the Taipei County commissioner elections yesterday, leaving the number of the party's candidates vying for the position to six.

They are Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), former People First Party (PFP) Legislator Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋), former minister of justice Liao Cheng-hao (廖正豪), Sanchung Mayor Lee Chien-lung (李乾龍) and Wang Lin-huei (王玲惠), head of the Taipei County Federation of Chinese Business Women.

With tears streaming down his face, Lee Chia-chin told yesterday morning's press conference that he hopes that his withdrawal will help unify the pan-blue alliance and reclaim the county after it was lost to the pan-green camp 16 years ago.

"We lost the election because we are not united," he said. "When Chou announced his candidacy, he said he would like to be the first grain of sand toward the incorporation of the pan-blues. I hope my withdrawal from the primary today serves as the first step toward the pan-blue camp's integration."

"Lee Chia-chin said that his withdrawal was inspired by Chou's `first grain of sand' theory. He said that he was very emotional and over-reacting when Chou announced his return to the KMT to participate in the party's primary.

"After interacting with him and carefully thinking things over, I decided to drop out of the race and give him my endorsement," he said. "I am also happy to accept the offer to be his campaign manager."

While Lee Chia-chin said that he was not pressured to make the decision, Lee Chien-lung said that he strongly suspects that his rival was forced to do so by the higher-ups in the party.

"Closed-door politics," he said. "If the pan-blue alliance wants to recover Taipei County, solid grassroots support base is key."

As Lee Chien-lung vowed to continue his campaign, Hung said that she was stunned and baffled by Lee Chia-chin's decision, but she will continue her election bid.
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