The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) faces a tough election period ahead of the Nov. 26 vote, party sources have said.
New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), who is running for re-election, and KMT Legislator Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), who is running for Taipei mayor, are unlikely to generate the kind of coattail effect that former Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu’s (韓國瑜) bid for mayor created in 2018, the source said.
Hou has suffered reputational damage from the April 19 death of a two-year-old boy known as “En En” (恩恩) from COVID-19, whose parents alleged wrongdoing by New Taipei City emergency services, the source said on condition of anonymity.
The party’s roster of candidates for the local elections has been conservative and expecting them to help other candidates in their districts could be asking too much of them, they said.
The Democratic Progressive Party has pounced on the scandal to great effect, spurring KMT fears that Hou might have to fight for his political life in the city and not be able to help other candidates, they said.
The responsibility to energize the base has fallen on Chiang, who has been called upon to heed the needs of the party outside of Taipei, they said, adding that KMT headquarters must come up with a coordinated strategy.
Hou’s appeal to undecided voters took a hit from the scandal, but he might yet make a comeback, Taipei city councilor candidate Chan Wei-yuan (詹為元) of the KMT said.
Hou remains the best booster the party has for its other candidates, he said.
Dominating the news cycle is key for candidates to develop coattails and Chiang has the advantage of running in Taipei, to which the media pays the most attention, he said.
However, that advantage is being wasted as Chiang has been reacting to events instead of seizing the initiative, Chan said, adding that Chiang should go on the attack and strategize in a way that benefits the party.
New Taipei City councilor candidate Hsiao Ching-yan (蕭敬嚴) of the KMT said that Hou remains the best booster the party has to promote its candidates in races across the nation, adding that the En En incident “has not caused hostility toward Hou among voters.”
The party has an opportunity to nominate women to compete in elections outside of Taipei and New Taipei City, a KMT member familiar with electoral matters said on the condition of anonymity.
“Women can do well if they have a good image, and run on being moderate and reasonable,” they said.
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