TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The new campaign director for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential hopeful Lai Ching-te, Yao Li-ming, commented on Friday (Nov. 10) on the significant impact of Ko Wen-je on Kuomintang (KMT) votes since the 2018 Taipei Mayoral election.
Yao highlighted the DPP's strategic nomination of former legislator Pasuya Yao in the 2018 Taipei Mayoral race, aimed at drawing a distinct line from Ko, now chairman of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) and a presidential candidate.
He observed that Ko, who once sought support from the green camp, notably shifted his focus away from these voters in the 2022 election, as seen in the case of Hsinchu Mayor Kao Hung-an.
Yao explained that in the 2022 election, Hou Yu-ih's high approval rating attracted voters from both the DPP and the KMT. However, due to Ko's influence in dividing the blue camp's votes, Hou adopted a more hardline stance on issues like the "fourth nuclear power plant" and the "1992 consensus."
Furthermore, Yao stated that the inherent differences between the KMT and TPP make their potential alliance unfeasible. He also mentioned that Foxconn founder Terry Gou's potential candidacy does not pose a significant threat to Lai, with Ko and Hou being the most affected.
