Former President Ma backs public polling for KMT-TPP ticket

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A spokesperson of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation's spokesperson stressed on Sunday (Nov. 12) that former President Ma Ying-jeou is fully supportive of nationwide polling to determine joint party candidates amid intensifying discussions about the potential "blue-white ticket" in the upcoming presidential election.

Xiao Xucen explained that the use of public polling to select the best-suited joint party candidate for the presidency aligns with the Kuomintang's (KMT) traditional primary election processes.

This method, he noted, has been used in past party chair tenures and was notably employed in 2019 to nominate party candidates for the presidency, leading to the victories of former Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih.

While Xiao acknowledged the central committee of the KMT's decision-making role, he emphasized Ma's consistent stance on the issue, refuting any claims that Ma has changed his attitude towards the polling method for the prospective KMT-Taiwan People's Party (TPP) ticket.

Ma advocates for public polling as a means to achieve nationwide acceptance and trust, especially in selecting a strong contender against the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) nominee Lai Ching-te, according to Xiao.

He added that this method is crucial in uniting non-ruling parties and presenting a united front against what he described as the DPP's "corrupted" governance and provocative stance on independence, which he claims has led to national failures and heightened tensions.

In conclusion, Xiao expressed confidence that public polling is and will continue to be a consensus among KMT-TPP supporters, including moderate and young voters.