With the year-end local government elections around the corner, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said its candidates had a good chance in 15 counties and cities, but fears that “cash tactics” by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) could influence the outcome, sources from the party said yesterday.
Aside from the offshore counties of Kinmen and Lienchiang, where nominations have yet to be announced, the DPP is confident its candidates will do well because it is almost done planning its election map, the sources said.
In Huanlien County, the DPP will “collaborate” with Hualien County Deputy Commissioner Chang Chih-ming (張志明), who last week withdrew from the KMT to participate in the race as an independent, the sources said, adding that former DPP spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦) would most likely represent the party in the Taoyuan County commissioner election.
Because of the lackluster performance of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration since the KMT took office in May last year and a struggling economy, the sources said the DPP remains optimistic about the outcome of the race.
However, DPP officials familiar with election affairs said the candidates must present a convincing platform to gain traction with the public. Failure to do so, they said, could make it difficult to turn the tide.
The sources said the DPP is aware that some of its nominees remain relatively unknown to the constituents and that it will be necessary to raise their visibility and popularity. Although on the whole the race appears to pit a united DPP against a fragmented KMT, the key to victory lies in the nominees’ ability to reach out to grassroots voters, the sources said.
The DPP victory by Liu Chien-kuo (劉建國) in the Yunlin County legislative by-election last Saturday has boosted the party’s morale and cemented unity.
Despite the favorable start, the DPP remains wary of the KMT’s tactic of using money and mobilization to take the battleground, the sources said.
Figures show a 5 percent difference in polls between the DPP and the KMT, which has led senior decision-makers in the DPP to expect a very close race.
The DPP said it was vital to strengthen party unity, adding that the key to a successful race lies in the party’s ability to magnify the influence of the pan-green led counties and cities and use that to persuade voters in other regions that change is necessary, the sources said.
The year-end local government chief elections will take place in 17 cities and counties.
Tainan City, which was approved in June for a merger with Tainan County as a single municipality, will have its local election next year, along with Taipei County, which was upgraded to a municipal city. Elections in Taipei City and the merged Taichung County and Taichung City as well as Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County as municipalities will also be held.
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