Hu, representing the ruling Kuomintang, saw off Lin’s challenge nine years ago by nearly 90,000 votes. After 13 consecutive years in office, he is the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history. Both candidates were once ministers of the defunct Government Information Office.
According to a survey conducted Oct. 24-27 by United Daily News, if the election was held tomorrow, Hu would win 29 percent of the vote versus Lin’s 45 percent. Another 24 percent are undecided or “did not know.” In terms of the final winner, Hu was picked by 24 percent and Lin 48 percent, while 28 percent “did not know.”
The poll, carried out using randomly selected phone numbers registered in Taichung, has a confidence level of 95 percent and a margin of error at plus or minus 3 percent.
Hu’s campaign is based on implementing his vision for the municipality’s world-class development. Building on achievements accumulated during his time in office, including the recently launched bus rapid transit system and National Taichung Theater, the veteran mayor expects to be re-elected.
Lin, on the other hand, is running on promises of further improving the city’s environment, public transportation and social welfare. He has proposed a renewal plan for Taichung’s old downtown, as well as rolling out additional bus fare subsidies and increasing public housing capacity.
With Hu’s campaign shifting into overdrive, and Lin enjoying consistent leads in the polls, pundits expect the mayoral contest to go down to the wire and capture the attention of election watchers nationwide. (YHC-JSM)
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