DPP optimistic about Taichung election chances

CHANGHUA DEAL?The party visited the father of an independent hopeful in the county to discuss a partnership, but said it still thinks its candidate can win
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said it was cautiously optimistic about the Greater Taichung mayoral election in November, with the party’s candidate, DPP Legislator Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), leading incumbent Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) by almost 20 percentage points in the party’s latest survey.

“In a poll conducted by the DPP three days ago, Lin enjoyed a comfortable lead of 48 percent to Hu’s 29 percent. Moreover, 45.3 percent of respondents favored Lin as the winner, with only 29.6 percent picking Hu, who is seeking re-election,” DPP spokesperson Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) said.

KMT mayors reject replacement rumors

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) and Taoyuan County Commissioner John Wu (吳志揚) yesterday rejected a media report about the possible replacement of Hu and Wu as candidates in the year-end mayoral and commissioner elections due to their low support rates.

The Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) yesterday reported that the KMT could duplicate the so-called “Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) model” by withdrawing the nomination of Hu, who has been having a tough re-election campaign, and the embattled Wu, who reportedly is considered to have been tainted by association with a snowballing corruption scandal surrounding his former deputy Yeh Shih-wen (葉世文).

DPP’s Lin leading Hu in Taichung race: poll

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) has a comfortable lead over Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in the race for the municipality’s mayorship, a public opinion poll released yesterday showed.

The survey was conducted by the Chinese-language Apple Daily and found that Lin had a support rate of 51.4 percent, while Hu, who is seeking re-election in November, had 33.9 percent and 14.7 percent of the respondents were undecided.

EDITORIAL: No need for more foreign names

Tue, Feb 18, 2014 - Page 8

The name of a street, a town or a location in Taiwan often has special meaning and reflects the nation’s complex history. For example, Roosevelt Road in Taipei was named in memory of former US president Franklin D. Roosevelt, while the Barclay Memorial Park in Greater Tainan was named after Reverend Thomas Barclay, a Briton, for his contribution to the city.

Greater Taichung’s Fengyuan District (豐原), with its name coming from the translation of Toyohara, was among numerous townships and cities that shared a history under the Japanese colonial period.

DPP confirms Yu as pick for New Taipei City race

CAMPAIGN VOW:It was rumored that the ex-premier’s candidacy may be revoked due to poor ratings and his age, but after being confirmed, Yu vowed to fight for the youth
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday confirmed former premier Yu Shyi-kun as its candidate for the New Taipei City (新北市) mayoral election in December, ending widespread speculation that it would replace Yu with someone else due to his poor showing in public opinion polls.

The party also selected legislators Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and Wei Ming-ku (魏明谷) to contest the races in Greater Taichung and Changhua County respectively, DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) told a press conference after the party’s Central Executive Committee approved the nominations.

Legislator Lin Chia-lung wins DPP’s Taichung mayoral public opinion poll

OPTIONS:There are several possible contenders for the KMT ticket, even as incumbent Jason Hu remains mum on his plans for the December special municipality polls
By Chris Wang and Mo Yan-chih  /  Staff reporters

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) beat fellow lawmaker Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) in a public opinion poll to win the party’s primary for the Greater Taichung mayoral election in December, the party announced yesterday.

“Lin has won in an accumulated public opinion poll, which included surveys conducted by three companies on Monday night and pitted both candidates against Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強),” DPP Secretary-General Lin Hsi-yao (林錫耀) told a press conference.

DPP to use poll as Greater Taichung party primary

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

A Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) opinion poll in Greater Taichung on Monday is to determine the party’s candidate for arguably one of the most important constituencies in the mayoral and commissioner elections scheduled for December next year.

The poll will serve as the party primary to determine whether incumbent DPP Legislator Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) or DPP Legislator Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) will be the party’s candidate, with poll results to be announced on Tuesday.

Sean Lien is clear favorite for Taipei mayor: survey

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Former Taipei EasyCard Corp chairman Sean Lien (連勝文) was the most qualified candidate for the Taipei mayoralty, while incumbent Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) is expected to face a tough battle if he decides to seek re-election next year, a survey released yesterday showed.

Conducted by Taiwan Indicators Research Survey (TISR), respondents were asked who they saw as qualified among 11 hopefuls in Taipei and six in Greater Taichung, both seats considered symbolic, must-win constituencies for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

DPP urges minister to back up promise to remove oils

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday urged Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Wen-ta (邱文達) to keep his promise that tainted oil products would be completely removed from the market beginning today.

“Chiu pledged on Oct. 24 that Nov. 8 would be ‘D-Day,’ with all tainted oil products removed from the market. If he has failed to deliver on that promise, we urge him to step down,” DPP spokesperson Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) told a press conference.

Pair to vie in DPP’s Taichung primary

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) yesterday announced he would seek the party’s candidacy for the Greater Taichung mayoral election next year.

Backed by several fellow DPP lawmakers, Tsai said told a press conference in the city that he was confident he could defeat Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), who has held the job for 13 years.

Lee Chin-yung wins DPP’s Yunlin primary

MORE PRIMARIES SET:An opinion poll will be conducted tonight for the Pingtung County commissioner race and one will be conducted on Nov. 18 in Nantou County
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Former Keelung mayor Lee Chin-yung (李進勇) will be the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) nominee for the Yunlin County commissioner election next year after Lee won the party primary yesterday.

Lee beat two other contenders in a public opinion poll conducted on Tuesday by three survey companies, earning a support rate of 29.96 percent, DPP Secretary-General Lin Hsi-yao (林錫耀) told a press conference.

DPP celebrates 27th anniversary

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter in GREATER TAICHUNG

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) would have an opportunity to “turn the tables” on the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in the seven-in-one elections next year, DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday as the party celebrated its 27th anniversary in Greater Taichung.

“The DPP wants more than to just win in central Taiwan. We aim to win in all constituencies in mayoral, township chief and councilor elections,” Su told supporters at the anniversary celebration ceremony, which was held at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Greater Taichung.

Taichung mayoral candidacies mulled

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter in GREATER TAICHUNG

Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice presidential candidate Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) yesterday was reserved about his possible running in the Greater Taichung mayoral election next year, but said that he would “fight with determination” if nominated.

Su, former DPP chairperson Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) running mate in last year’s presidential election, joined DPP lawmakers Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) on the party’s list of possible candidates.

DPP faces tough battle in central Taiwan: survey

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The central constituencies of Greater Taichung, Nantou and Changhua counties will be key battlegrounds in the local elections next year, the latest public opinion poll conducted by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) showed yesterday, conforming to most political observers’ expectations.

The DPP trails the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) by less than 1 percentage point among voters in Changhua with 30 percent against the ruling party’s 29.1 percent, leads by almost 5 percentage points (34.8 to 30.1) in Greater Taichung and enjoys a more comfortable lead of close to 6 percentage points (34.4 to 28.5) in Nantou, according to a poll conducted by the party’s poll center on Monday and Tuesday.

DPP to mark anniversary next week

IN THE MIDDLE:The party’s Central Standing Committee will meet in Greater Taichung next week before a two-day tour of DPP-run areas in Nantou and Changhua counties
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will turn its attention to central Taiwan next week for a four-day celebration of its founding, despite the political turmoil in the legislature.

Several events have been scheduled in Greater Taichung, Nantou County and Changhua County from Wednesday to Saturday next week to celebrate the anniversary of its founding on Sept. 28, 1986, and to drum up support in a region seen as the key battleground in next year’s seven-in-one elections.

DPP heavyweights to negotiate party primaries

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has designated five party heavyweights to be in charge of negotiations for party primaries of hotly contested constituencies in the commissioner and mayoral elections next year.

According to the party’s Central Standing Committee resolution on Aug. 14, the DPP headquarters is to oversee negotiations in constituencies with two or more aspirant candidates if private discussions between them fail to achieve a result.

DPP urges investigation of alleged sexual assault case

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday urged prosecutors to investigate an alleged sexual assault in Greater Taichung involving a member of the party’s Central Review Committee (CRC).

Hsu Chin-ko (許錦構), one of the 11 members of the committee, reportedly attempted to drug and rape a 22-year-old woman surnamed Huang, the daughter of one of his friends, in a motel in Wufeng District (霧峰) on the night of May 15.

KMT wins Taichung by-election

CLOSE RACE:：The DPP’s Chen Shi-kai lost the by-election in Greater Taichung’s second district to KMT candidate Yen Kuan-hen by a margin of only 1,138 votes
By Mo Yan-chih and Chris Wang  /  Staff reporters
Sun, Jan 27, 2013 - Page 1

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Yen Kuan-hen (顏寬恆) won the legislative by-election in Greater Taichung’s second district yesterday against his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) counterpart Chen Shi-kai (陳世凱) by a small margin of less than 1,200 votes, managing to only just maintain the KMT’s momentum amid low approval ratings for President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration.

Yen received 66,457 votes in the by-election, while Chen received 65,319 votes, according to the Tai-chung City Election Commission.

ANALYSIS: Taichung by-election a critical test for DPP and Su

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The by-election in Greater Taichung’s second electoral district today is “a critical election that could shape the national and local political map in the next few years,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said.

A senior legislator, Ker made the comment with good reason, and many DPP members and political analysts agreed with the observation.

On the surface, a win for DPP candidate Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) over Yen Kuan-hen (顏寬恆), the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) candidate who is trying to fill the void left vacant by his soon-to-be-imprisoned father, Yen Ching-piao (顏清標), would only increase the DPP’s legislative seats to 41 — still 16 seats short of a majority.

KMT split may give DPP victory in Taichung

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) appears to be hoping that a conflict between Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Yen Kuan-hen (顏寬恆) and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) could help it win tomorrow’s legislative by-election in Greater Taichung’s second electoral district.

“Ma, who is the KMT’s chairman, has not campaigned for Yen, and Yen has not used the KMT’s logo during his campaign, nor has he emphasized that he represents the KMT,” DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said at a campaign stop in Greater Taichung.