Hou Urging Marriage Failed to Impress Ko But Successfully Reclaimed KMT Supporters？
United Daily News, October 27, 2023
Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih recently proposed that he and Ko Wen-je, presidential candidate of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), must run on the same ticket. According to Hou, the presidential candidate representing the opposition should be decided by national polls (initially proposed by the TPP) and an open democratic primary (proposed by the KMT), each weighted 50 percent. Hou and Ko coming together is something to which public opinion is open. However, Ko is not yet accepting of the idea.
Hou’s partnership proposal has yet to succeed but has requested a quick response. Ko likened this to “forcing a marriage,” and has not explicitly stated that he would not accept this proposal. The hope for a collaboration with the KMT and TPP has many people feeling anxious. However, many KMT supporters have affirmed Hou’s attempt, and see it as a positive move, showing goodwill. Ko has openly admitted that the TPP is lacking in political power. But is still insisting on having a national public poll as the condition for a possible “marriage” between the two parties. This is enough for the public to clearly see who is hindering the collaboration between the KMT and TPP. KMT supporters back this idea. As to whether or not this “marriage” will go through, this is a question that Ko must face.
TPP Not Open to “Democratic Primary,” KMT: Many Ko “Supporters” Will Not Actually Vote for Him
Regarding Hou’s proposition, Ko held a press conference and said that it is “a large party suppressing a small party, like forcing a marriage." He focused on the "open democratic primary” and the plan of 422 voting stations proposed by Hou, which stated that at least 73 voting booths would be located in the KMT service offices. Ko said that, in this case, the results would be known even before voting and that the primary election was obviously unfair to the TPP.
Although “Marriage Proposal” Failed, Many KMT Legislators Find Boon for Party
A KMT legislator supposedly said in private that Ko has been focused on the idea of how many voting stations will be located in the KMT party branch offices. However, Ko can propose for the TPP to set up voting booths in their own territory, that is something Hou will definitely not reject.
This KMT legislator allegedly said that the more Ko states that the democratic primary election is unfair in front of the media, it reminds the public that all of Ko’s current public support will not turn into actual votes. In fact, organizational ability is also a part of the strength of a political party. In order for a political party to "gather a group of people to fight for a common ideal," organizational abilities are indispensable. Moreover, the TPP can barely nominate candidates for 11 legislators in this legislative election, not even close to half of the 73 legislator slots. This shows the TPP’s obvious lack of talent.
At this time, the TPP has its shortcomings in possibly governing the central government. The "forced marriage" from Hou’s camp has made Ko have to come down a notch, admit in front of the media that the TPP is still a small party and that the KMT will still be the main force in forming the government in the future. This could get the people to think about, if the TPP, which has an obvious lack of talent, does not accept a collaboration with the KMT, will they be open to a DPP and TPP collaboration instead?
TPP Refuses to Give In, KMT Supporters Feel Hou Has No Other Choice
According to a KMT supporter who has campaign experience in major elections, the "universal poll" plan previously proposed by the TPP was an all-mobile phone poll, and a half-and-half mobile phone and home telephone poll. It did not have an option of all home telephones, which is more favorable to the KMT. The proposals from the TPP are more beneficial to the TPP, but they are trying to package this idea, and confuse the public, by saying this is a more “scientific” method.
Another KMT supporter said, on the other hand, Hou’s camp initially proposed an open democratic primary election to select the KMT and TPP candidates. The next day, they proposed a 50/50 plan for a national poll and an open primary election. In the end, Hou even said that being the vice-presidential candidate can be an option. Anyone who looks at this situation will think that Hou is open to compromise in order for a KMT and DPP collaboration. If Ko’s camp is willing to negotiate, then Hou will likely even accept Ko’s proposal of an all mobile-phone approach for the national poll, an approach that is obviously beneficial for Ko.
KMT Disagrees with National Polls: Will Give DPP Room for Manipulation
KMT supporters also said that it is well known that the supporters of the DPP are "well-trained." Since the establishment of the primary election system, supporters of the DPP have developed many strategies to allow their candidates to qualify for the primary election. Unique election techniques include recruiting party members, lying about age to gain weighted scores for young people, or applying for multiple local phone numbers at the same time to increase the chance of being called by poll calls.
In fact, even if a nationwide poll is used to select candidates, the DPP’s primaries are still full of controversy, such as the most discussed election is the dispute between incumbent Legislator Ho Chih-wei and successful primary challenger Taipei City Councilor Wang Shih-chien in Datong and Shilin districts in Taipei.
Moreover, the KMT had suffered major losses in both the 2016 and 2020 intra-party presidential primaries when national polls were "contaminated" by the DPP’s public opinion. The election results were altered by the DDP, as many DPP members voted for the person who was not seen as the strongest candidate. The poll results swayed many voter decisions in the end. Therefore, many KMT supporters still have reservations about Ko’s insistence on a national poll.
As for why Hou and Terry Gou, founder of Hon Hai Precision Industry Company (Foxconn), used a nationwide poll to decide that Hou would be the one to represent the KMT in the presidential elections, this person explained people in the DPP have no specific preference for Hou or Gou. “Many dislike them the same amount.”
Pressure Now on TPP, How Will Ko Respond?
According to a former TPP aide, after Ko rejected Hou’s "marriage conditions," the KMT and TPP entered the stage of party negotiations. In addition to getting the KMT supporters to come back as one, it has also damaged Ko’s desire to act as the lead and direct the plan for a KMT and TPP collaboration. Whether or not to accept this marriage is still a question that Ko must answer to the public. This should be what the Hou camp wants to see.