A survey released on the eve of the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) official telephone poll to pick its candidate for next year’s presidential election showed that its frontrunners had a very good chance of beating President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) — but not necessarily each other.
The Chinese-language Apple Daily survey showed Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who took a leave of absence as DPP chairpedson to concentrate on the primaries, has a slight advantage over former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) as the polls open, although both would win over Ma by double-digit figures.
The official DPP telephone polls, used to select the nominee for next year’s elections, start -tonight between 6:30pm and 10pm and will run until Wednesday at the earliest.
In the comparative survey, Tsai would take 50.05 percent against Ma’s 35.61 percent in the presidential election. The poll says Su would obtain 46.95 percent against Ma’s 34.30 percent.
Under the DPP’s official comparative poll regulations, when figures show more than one candidate winning against Ma, the contender with the highest support numbers takes the nomination, regardless of the margin.
Tsai, with a lead of more than 3 percent over Su, would take the nomination under DPP regulations.
Former DPP chaiman Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良), who has been trailing heavily since the primaries began last month, would lose to Ma by about 30 percent, with 17.15 percent against Ma’s 47.05 percent, the survey said.
Conducted between Thursday and Saturday, the numbers came after DPP candidates held their last of four policy sessions on Wednesday.
Neither Tsai nor Su offered breakthrough performances during the four events, which took place over a period of two weeks, observers said.
Polls have consistently showed the two neck-and-neck since both declared their candidacies last month.
“The televised sessions did not necessarily offer much for either Tsai or Su in terms of poll support,” said Niu Tse-hsun (鈕則勳), an associate professor that studies political marketing at Chinese Culture University. “What it comes down to is their performances in the final election rallies and whether they can attract the attention of undecided voters.”
Tsai and Su have ramped up their campaign events over the final “super weekend,” holding large rallies in Greater Kaohsiung and New Taipei City (新北市) in a last ditch effort to appeal to voters.
The two did not comment on the latest survey numbers, with DPP regulations preventing polls from being discussed since last Friday.
The winner is expected to be announced on Wednesday and confirmed on May 4.
The Apple Daily survey polled 1,068 voters nationwide by telephone, but did not give a margin of error.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS