TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Former legislator Julian Kuo expressed concerns on Sunday (Dec. 10) about Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te's ability to secure over 50% of the vote in Tainan, citing recent scandals.
Speaking on the TVBS talk show "News Vernacular," Kuo criticized the DPP for attempting to generate electoral support through fear tactics but suggested this strategy might not succeed in 2024. Despite leading in most polls, Lai's lead over Kuomintang (KMT) candidate Hou Yu-ih is narrowing.
Kuo noted that if the DPP relies on Tainan as a decisive battleground, Lai could become the party's presidential candidate with the lowest vote tally in the region.
He attributed potential voter hesitancy to scandals, including illegal slag dumping on farmlands in 2015, the Cihji Temple head shootings in Syuejia, and the solar panel controversy in Cigu last year. Kuo emphasized that these recent Tainan-related corruptions involved local officials associated with the DPP.
While Kuo anticipates Tainan being a pivotal focus in the 2024 election, legislator Lin Chun-hsien has predicted that Lai is expected to win at least 60% of the vote there, revealing differing expectations within the party.