Vice President William Lai (賴清德) on Tuesday picked a former chief campaign director for Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) as his own campaign director, saying the choice would help him defeat Ko in the January presidential election.
Lai at a news conference announced the core members of his campaign headquarters, to be led by political commentator Yao Li-ming (姚立明).
A former legislator with the New Party, Yao served as chief campaign director for Ko during his successful 2014 run for Taipei mayor.
Photo: CNA
He has since rescinded his support for the TPP founder, and in 2018 backed a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate for Taipei mayor.
Lai praised Yao as someone who does not care about party affiliation, only right and wrong.
Yao said he helped Ko in 2014, but broke off contact after getting to know his “true nature.”
“We got together over a misunderstanding and broke up after gaining an understanding,” he said.
However, Yao said he has known Lai for years and fully trusts the DPP candidate.
“I deeply believe that as leader, [Lai] will be able to win the trust of the voters,” he said. “In this way, our partnership is entirely different from my one with Ko Wen-je.”
Asked separately about the pick, Ko said it proves Yao’s skill, as he has been courted by different candidates.
He also said he suspects Lai had political motivations to pick Yao as his campaign director.
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