Although Ma’s selection of Yeh was a “good effort,” his sinking approval rating played a role in Yeh’s debacle, Leou said.
Yeh’s hesitation in resigning from the health department and a change of primary rules also took their toll, not to mention that he spent little time campaigning in the run-up to the primary, Leou said.
While it was too early to say if Yeh’s defeat marked the beginning of the “post-Ma Ying-jeou era,” Leou said it did reflect the disdain of local factions over Ma’s nominating style.
Local factions would only cooperate with Ma if they benefit from it, Leou said, adding that Ma could gradually win them over once he becomes KMT chairman because he will have more resources at his disposal.
“Ma is still in the trial and error stage as party chairman,” Leou said. “One thing is certain, however. He must make compromises if he wishes to strike a balance between taking care of the interests of local factions and his own.”
One way to pacify Fu and Hsieh would be to dish out favors, Leou said, including offering jobs.
“But then again, this is nothing new,” he said. “We see this happen every four years.”
Nanhua University professor Wang Szu-wei (王思為) said Yeh’s defeat showed Ma had failed to use his personal charm to overcome local factions.
“He thought he could duplicate the Taipei City model, but he failed to realize the city has its own political culture,” Wang Szu-wei said.
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