The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) today named Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) as its candidate in November’s Taichung mayoral race.
Chiang beat another KMT lawmaker, Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔), in an average of multiple polls to win the nomination, KMT Secretary-General Lee Chien-lung (李乾龍) told a news conference.
As the polls were conducted for internal reference, the results would not be made public, said Taichung City Councilor Su Po-shing (蘇柏興), director of the KMT’s Taichung chapter.
Photo: Taipei Times file photo
The margin was narrow, and Chiang and Yang were satisfied with the outcome, he added.
The polls were held to decide on a nominee after neither Chiang nor Yang agreed to drop out of the race during negotiations.
Yang said she respected the results of the polls and would fully support Chiang.
The winner becomes the nominee, while the loser becomes a supporter, Yang added.
She would draw on her experience accumulated over the past three decades serving constituents to help Chiang, she said, calling for unity within the party to win the Taichung mayor race.
Lee praised the two for embracing a democratic spirit and supporting open and fair competition during the polling period, calling the race “competitive, but peaceful.”
The nomination of a new candidate was necessary, as incumbent Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) of the KMT must step down at the end of this year after serving two four-year terms.
Chiang is expected to face Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純) in the election on Nov. 28.
Chiang did not appear at the news conference, but spoke later at the Legislative Yuan, saying that the poll results reflected the respect shown to him by Taichung residents.
Chiang expressed his gratitude to Yang for generously pledging her full assistance in the race, and said that he had called her after the nomination to thank her.
With the competition within the KMT coming to an end, it is time for the party to unite, Chiang said, adding that he and Yang aim to ensure the party continues governing Taichung and make the city more advanced and cosmopolitan.
Ho said that she was ready to face Chiang and hoped they would compete with each other to create a better Taichung by unveiling constructive policies during the campaign.
Additional reporting by Su Chin-feng
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