The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is to hold a large campaign rally in Taichung on Sunday to leverage its strong showing in the special municipalities, with all six of its mayoral candidates in the municipalities to speak, a party source said.
The event is likely to be hosted by KMT Deputy Secretary-General Cheng Li-wen (鄭麗文) and draw at least 10,000 people, the source said, adding that several KMT heavyweights have agreed to attend.
KMT Taichung mayoral candidate Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) on the same day is to open her campaign headquarters in Taichung with the slogan “winning in 2018 from Taichung,” with the special municipality seen as a bellwether by the KMT, the source said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
On Double Ten National Day on Wednesday, the party is to launch a national anthem singing event to salute the Republic of China and remember founder Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙), the source said.
The event is to be organized by patriotic group the Songtao Society, among others, they said.
A campaign rally is planned for Retrocession Day on Oct. 25, when all of the KMT’s local chapters and candidates are expected to commemorate the party’s contributions to Taiwan, the source said, adding that there could be more events.
New Taipei City is “almost a done deal” as long as KMT New Taipei City mayoral candidate Hou You-yi’s (侯友宜) camp does not make any mistakes, retaining its lead over Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rival Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), the source said.
Lu is leading Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in opinion polls, but within the margin of error, the source said.
While KMT Taipei mayoral candidate Ting Shou-chung (丁守中) is trailing independent Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) slightly, Ting’s approval rating could increase by 5 percentage points, as long as he can win back borderline KMT supporters who have swayed toward Ko, the source said.
That, coupled with Ting’s estimated support base of 40 percent of all constituents, could win Taipei, as long as DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Pasuya Yao’s (姚文智) campaign does not fall apart and Yao wins 15 percent of the vote, the source said.
Meanwhile, KMT Kaohisung mayoral candidate Han Kuo-yu’s (韓國瑜) camp is confident that he would surpass his DPP opponent, Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), by the middle of the month, the source said.
Considering Han’s weaker support among voters aged 60 or more, the source said the KMT is to ask Han to speak at local temples to inculcate in older voters the message that the DPP has ruled Kaohsiung for more than 20 years and it is time for a change in leadership.
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