Although the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has seen a boost in opinion polls, the battle for legislative seats remains tight and supporters should avoid “splitting the vote,” DPP Chairman Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said in Taipei yesterday.
Cho spent most of the day giving pep talks and attending rallies and motorcades with DPP candidates Enoch Wu (吳怡農), Hsieh Pei-fen (謝佩芬) and Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華).
With eight electoral districts in Taipei and several parties contesting those eight legislative seats, the DPP and its supporters cannot afford to be complacent and must continue pushing ahead in the final two weeks before the Jan. 11 elections, Cho said.
Photo: Hsu Chuo-hsun, Taipei Times
“All eight DPP candidates are outstanding individuals and they have captured the focus of the public and the media. I and other DPP officials will assist them in the coming days. We are working hard on all eight districts,” Cho said.
“We are certain of winning at least three seats in Taipei, will likely capture four and are optimistic about winning five,” he added.
Cho urged DPP supporters not to listen to other voices urging people to split the vote, such as casting a vote for a party’s presidential candidate, while choosing a legislative candidate from another party.
“We must stick together with our party in good times and bad times... If supporters jump ship and vote for other parties, then the DPP will wither away,” he said.
Urging supporters to rally and work together with DPP members, he said: “Together, we can fight for our ideals.”
“If the DPP has made mistakes, we welcome criticism and we can rectify [the mistakes]. If our party cannot change, then others will replace us. This is the best way to boost and sustain our party,” he added.
Meanwhile, DPP vice presidential candidate William Lai (賴清德) was in New Taipei City’s Sijhih District (汐止) to stump for DPP legislative candidate Lai Pin-yu (賴品妤), with the pair visiting major temples, traditional markets and other locations.
Lai Pin-yu is in a close race against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative candidate Lee Yong-ping (李永萍) for New Taipei City’s 12th electoral district, which the two major parties believe is up for grabs.
The incumbent, New Power Party’s former executive chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), is not running for re-election.
“At the start of the campaign, Lai Pin-yu was behind in all opinion polls against the KMT candidate, and this was viewed as a difficult race for the DPP,” William Lai said.
“However, she is a courageous and diligent person, who has campaigned tirelessly these past few months. She has closed the gap and it is now seen as an even race, so we need everyone’s support in the final two weeks. She deserves your vote,” he said.
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