Luo's wife to go to US as he runs for public office

Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Luo Wen-jia's (羅文嘉) wife will go to the US to avoid the election campaign while he runs for public office.

Luo made the announcement yesterday after the DPP's Central Standing Committee approved his nomination to run in Taipei City's sixth constituency (Da-an) and DPP Taipei City Councilor Chou Po-ya's (周柏雅) nomination to stand in Taipei City's eighth constituency (Wenshan).

Luo told reporters that many of his friends and family members were against his election bid because they hated seeing him suffer, but that he had a long and close relationship with the DPP.

"Sometimes I am disappointed with the party, but I've never lost hope," he said. "My theory is that you have to enter the kitchen to cook new dishes if you don't like the food on the table. There is no use merely complaining about it."

Luo said his previous criticisms of the party had been made in the hope that the party would improve.

If he was to be any value to the upcoming election, Luo said, he hoped his contribution or sacrifice could help the DPP become a better party.

Luo's wife, Liu Chao-yi (劉昭儀), told reporters yesterday that she would go to the US next week, but would return to vote for her husband in January's elections.

Luo said they would live separate lives but were still legally married.

He said they were not a "traditional" political couple and he was glad that his wife was an independent woman with a mind of her own.

The consensus they reached was that they would respect each other's choices, encourage each other and give each other space, Luo said.