The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday unveiled public support poll results for a Taipei City Council primary, resulting in the nomination of Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association-backed Chen Yi-chun (陳怡君), a political nocive, plus three others, marking the faction’s first foray into the city council races.
The DPP is aiming to secure four of Datong District’s (大同) eight city council seats, with five party members vying for a nomination.
The party cited results from three polling companies, which found that Taipei City Councilor Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑), who is associated with the so-called New Tide faction, had the most popular support at 25.6 percent, followed by Chen at 20.81 percent, Yan Juo-fang (顏若芳) at 20.48 percent and Wang Shih-chien (王世堅) at 18.26 percent.
Photo: Huang Chien-hao, Taipei Times
Taipei City Councilor Huang Hsiang-chun (黃向?), who received 14.85 percent support, was the only one not to receive a party nomination.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was noteworthy that Yan, Chen and New Power Party candidate Lin Liang-chun (林亮君) were all connected to former Taipei Department of Tourism and Information commissioner Chien Yu-yen (簡余晏).
Yan and Lin were assistants to Chien when she was a Taipei city councilor, while Chen was seen as Chien’s protege and designated successor for her city councilor seat, the source said.
Chien had taken Chen under her wing and they were featured together on billboards during the primary, before differences saw them go their separate ways, the source said.
Chen was backed by the association, which was founded by DPP heavyweight and former premier Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃), the source said.
While Huang has quite the political pedigree — Taipei Department of Civil Affairs Commissioner Lan Shih-tsung (藍世聰) is his maternal uncle and former DPP chairman Huang Hsin-chieh (黃信介) is his paternal uncle — the source said he simply had bad luck.
Huang Hsiang-chun ran for city councilor in 2010, but lost.
He ran again in 2014 and won a seat.
However, following his unsuccessful bid for a party’s nomination, he will lost his council seat on Dec. 25.
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