The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) retained its grip on northwest Taiwan as its candidates triumphed in Hsinchu County, Hsinchu City and Miaoli County, securing another five years in office.
Miaoli County Commissioner Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻) was one of the first candidates to claim victory at around 7pm.
“We have a beautiful environment and tourism resources. I will continue my work as a commissioner to make Miaoli people richer in the future,” Liu said.
PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Yiong Cong-ziin’s (楊長鎮) campaign headquarters executive officer Hsu Ching-jung (徐進榮) said on behalf of Yiong that Yiong lost to Lin because he only came into the election late and did not have enough money and resources.
Hsu said that Yiong would continue his efforts in Miaoli and might stand in the legislative elections in the future.
Liu was followed by Chiu Ching-chun (邱鏡淳) in Hsinchu County, who survived a pan-blue camp split to claim victory at around 8pm, as he was leading his competitor Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Peng Shao-chin (彭紹瑾) by more than 10,000 votes.
“I have kept my promise. Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), I did not fail you,” Chiu said as he claimed victory, thanking the president for his numerous trips to Hsinchu to campaign for Chiu.
Central Election Commission tallies showed that Chiu won a total of 97,151 votes in Hsinchu County, while Peng won 77,126 votes and independent candidate Chang Pi-chin (張碧琴), who left the KMT to run, won 76,254 votes. Independent Tseng Chin-hsiang (曾錦祥) won 1,701 votes.
In Miaoli, Liu won a total of 181,256 votes. Yiong won 95,469 votes, while independent candidate Lee Chia-mu (李佳穆) secured 7,413 votes.
In Hsinchu City, the KMT’s Hsu Ming-tsai (許明財) won a five-year term as mayor with a total of 92,667 votes. The DPP’s Liu Gin-show (劉俊秀) garnered 68,822 votes and independent candidate Lin Hsiu-er (林修二) won 5,074 votes.
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