Legislative Yuan Vice President Hung Hsiu-chu passed June 14 the 30 percent requirement in the primary poll for selecting the ruling Kuomintang’s 2016 ROC presidential election candidate.
Hung averaged 46.2 percent support in three polls conducted June 12 and 13 by Statinc Co., Trendgo Consultant Co. Ltd. and United Daily News. All of the telephone-based interviews comprised 1,200-plus valid responses.
The potential candidate’s approval rating was assessed individually and against Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party and its confirmed candidate for the presidential race. A total of 50.7 percent of respondents supported Hung’s nomination, while 41.6 percent said they will vote for her.
“This is just the first step,” Hung said. “I urge my supporters not to get carried away by the numbers as we need greater courage, determination and self-confidence to face the challenges ahead.”
According to Hung, her participation in the party’s inaugural presidential primary marks the beginning of a new KMT. “The results demonstrate without a doubt that our party is one that respects a fair, just and open selection process,” she said.
Hau Long-bin, head of the KMT’s nomination committee and former Taipei City mayor, said Hung satisfies every criteria of the internal ballot.
KMT Secretary-General Lee Shih-chuan said the outcome of the polls will be forwarded to the Central Standing Committee June 17, with Hung’s nomination expected to be approved at the party’s national congress scheduled for July 19 in Taipei City.
In addition to Hung and Tsai, former DPP chairman and longtime political activist Shih Ming-te has thrown his hat in the ring for the ROC’s top job. The presidential and legislative elections will be held concurrently Jan. 16, 2016, nationwide. (SFC-JSM)
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