Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials yesterday remained tight-lipped over potential nominees for the year-end special municipal elections despite widespread speculation that party heavyweight Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) would run for mayor in Taipei or Sinbei.
Quoting unnamed sources, the Chinese-language China Times reported yesterday that Su, a former premier, was expected to make an announcement regarding his candidacy in Taipei City tomorrow.
The source was quoted as saying that Su was not interested in running for mayor in Sinbei — as Taipei County will be known after it is upgraded to a special municipality — as he had already served as Taipei County commissioner. The source said Su had already decided to run in Taipei City before the surprise announcement made by Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) last week that he would not run for re-election.
Speaking to reporters last night, Su would not confirm the rumor, saying “the comments were not made by me.”
He said he had yet to make a decision.
Party officials said they were unsure when an announcement would be made, adding they would be “flexible” in their nomination timetable for candidates in Taipei, Sinbei and Taichung counties, which are being handled by a nine-member nomination team.
Su had previously said he would make an announcement regarding his candidacy after Saturday’s legislative by-elections. However, yesterday morning, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) called on the public to “give Su more time,” adding that the former premier was “under a lot of stress and pressure.”
A poll by the Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday showed that 36 percent of respondents believed the DPP would manage to continue its recent election successes into the December elections, compared with 17 percent for the KMT.
Political analysts said yesterday that Saturday’s election successes had greatly increased the chances that either Su or Tsai would run in Taipei or Sinbei. Winning the two is seen as an important indicator in the lead-up to the 2012 presidential election.
Tsai has also dismissed rumors that her focus was on her position within the DPP.
At a separate setting yesterday, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) of the KMT said he was confident the KMT would win both Taipei City and Sinbei City at the year-end elections — even if Su were to run against him.
“The DPP may have some magical strategy for winning the two cities, well, we also have our double-play tactics,” Hau told reporters.
“Vice Premier Eric Chu [朱立倫] and I will bring the KMT [back on its feet] by running in Sibei City and Taipei City,” Hau said.
While it is believed that Chu will run for Sinbei mayor on a KMT ticket, both KMT headquarters and Chu have yet to confirm it.
Asked what the KMT’s “double play” tactics were, Hau said: “You will see the details, little by little.”
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