The DPP's chairmanship election intensified yesterday when former Keelung City mayor Lee Chin-yung (
In addition, the DPP inaugurated a 15-person campaign team yesterday to officially kick off year-end election efforts for the Kaohsiung and Taipei City mayor and city councilor elections.
Addressing reporters after the party's weekly Central Standing Committee meeting yesterday, You Ying-lung (游盈隆), deputy secretary-general of the party headquarters, said that the party is confident of winning in both local elections.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"There's no timetable, however, in terms of when to nominate candidates," You said.
While Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) began campaigning for his re-election today, the DPP has not yet decided on who will run against him.
Lee's announcement that he would run in the party's chairmanship race took the party by surprise yesterday.
"It's time to enhance the glory of the DPP's traditional values and infuse with new blood our ever-growing and self-reflective party," he told the press conference.
The election is slated for May 26.
Lee, who is of the same party faction as President Chen Shui-bian (
"I don't expect to receive his personal endorsement," he said. "However, I'm sure that he'll remain neutral in this matter and support any candidate who runs in the race in accordance with party rules."
Incumbent Chairman and Kaohsiung City Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) still remained undecided over which of his posts he will give up.
"Although I'm preparing for my re-election bid for the mayoralty, I have not yet come to a final decision on the chairmanship," he told reporters in Taipei yesterday. "I'll definitely make public my final decision as soon as I make up my mind."
It is believed that Hsieh may forsake the chairmanship because the president has made it clear publicly that Hsieh should focus on winning his re-election bid as Kaohsiung City mayor.
Although Lee is so far the only party member who has publicly announced his intent to run in the race, there are many more who have either publicly or privately expressed interest or disinterest in the DPP chairmanship post.
Trong Chai (
"I wish the media would stop spreading groundless reports about me and sabotaging the unity of the party," he said. "Yes, I was once interested in running for the post, but that was when the DPP was an opposition party. As the DPP has come to power, it's no longer an interest of mine to pursue the post."
Chai added that he is more interested in pushing for the passage of a plebiscite bill and establishing a television station "for all Taiwanese people."
Former premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
After having withdrawn from the race twice, Yen Chin-fu (
He said he planned to withdraw from the faction for fear of being dissuaded or restrained from pursuing the post.
Senior Advisor to the President Yao Chia-wen (
"The next party leader has to be someone fortified with extended political experience, capable of leading the party to victory in the Kaohsiung and Taipei City mayoral races and be up to the task of of working with the president to win in the 2004 presidential election," he said.
Yao added that the president has been notified of his intent and expressed no disagreement.
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