Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) members are calling for KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) to “lead the charge” by joining a possible mayoral by-election amid a bleak outlook for Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) in a recall vote scheduled for June 6, party sources said on Saturday.
If Han of the KMT is recalled — which would trigger a mayoral by-election — it would deal a serious blow to the party, in which case a strong mayoral candidate would be needed to shield the party from further damage, a KMT legislator said on condition of anonymity.
If the party’s candidate in a mayoral by-election cannot win 890,000 votes as Han did in the 2018 local elections at the height of his popularity, they would need to win at least the 600,000 votes that Han garnered in the city when he ran as the KMT’s presidential candidate in the Jan. 11 elections, the lawmaker said.
Screen grab from Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu’s Facebook page
If Chiang throws his hat in the ring, he would be helping the party through its darkest hour a second time, which would resolve the Han issue and boost morale within the party, as well as his own popularity, they said.
If Chiang joins the race, he would be KMT members’ No. 1 candidate for next year’s KMT chairperson election, they added.
Calls for ex-KMT chairman and former New Taipei City mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) to run in a possible mayoral by-election are also intensifying at the grassroots level, another party source said.
Photo: Wang Jung-hsiang, Taipei Times
Chiang and Chu are the top choice of many party members, because either of them could run for KMT chairman next year, while analysts have said that Han could also vie for the position, the source said.
During the presidential election, Han was criticized by the opposing camp as “pro-China, crass and disorganized,” leaving many KMT mayors and commissioners fearing for themselves while stumping for him, the source said.
“They do not want to have to go through it all again,” they added.
Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuang (李四川) would be a “safer bet,” said another KMT legislator, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
Lee is from southern Taiwan and familiar with the city’s municipal affairs, the lawmaker said.
Kaohsiung residents do not have too big of an issue with Lee, as they “just dislike Han,” the lawmaker said, adding that Lee is deemed “less political,” which could boost the KMT’s electoral prospects, as Kaohsiung residents have likely grown tired of the politics surrounding Han.
Han won the mayoral election as a dark horse, only to lose the public’s trust, so Kaohsiung residents are unlikely to vote for another novelty candidate fielded by the KMT, party sources said.
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