Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Hsu Tain-tsair (許添財) yesterday confirmed his interest in running for Taipei mayor next year, while fellow DPP Legislator Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) said there was no possibility of him running in the election.
The Chinese-language China Times reported yesterday that Hsu and Tuan had both received strong support to go for the DPP nomination in the Taipei mayoral election, adding that both would be considered “surprise candidates.”
Responding to the report, Hsu, a former Tainan Mayor, said yesterday that he would participate in the election if he is given the opportunity, but he would respect the DPP headquarters’ decision and its regulations on party primaries.
However, the Taipei mayoral election has always been a tough election for the DPP and the party would have to be creative in its election campaign — rather than making it a head-to-head battle between political parties — to win, Hsu said.
Tuan responded to the issue on his Facebook page and said that he has “no interest whatsoever” in running for Taipei mayor.
Tuan said he would not address the matter further and lamented the media’s insistence on making his supposed bid a story, despite him having said there is no possibility of an election bid.
National Taiwan University Hospital physician Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) has also been mentioned as a possible DPP candidate in Taipei.
Ko, who is among more than 700 university professors who are under investigation for misusing receipts to claim reimbursements from the government, said he had been floating the idea of entering the race and he has been quoted as saying that his urge to participate in the election “has become stronger every day.”
Meanwhile, DPP Legislator Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) announced his bid for the party primary for Yunlin County commissioner in Yunlin yesterday, setting up a potentially fierce battle between multiple DPP candidates.
Yunlin County Commissioner Su Chih-fen (蘇治芬) has publicly endorsed former Keelung City mayor Lee Chin-yung’s (李進勇) candidacy, while DPP Legislator Liu Chien-kuo (劉建國) is also reportedly interested in entering the race.
Lee Chin-yung lost by 1,598 votes, or less than 1 percent of the total vote, in Yunlin First District in the legislative elections last year, while Liu won by a landslide in the Second District.
Lee Ying-yuan is currently a legislator-at-large.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
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