TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — DPP Taichung mayoral candidate and Legislator Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純) has narrowed the gap with KMT Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), according to the latest internal DPP polling.
Speaking Wednesday with political commentator Huang Wei-han (黃暐瀚), Ho said internal surveys show the gap between her and Chiang has shrunk to single digits, per Storm Media. She added that with the election still nine months away, there is ample time for her campaign to improve.
However, a recently disclosed KMT internal survey showed Chiang defeating Ho by 21.7 percentage points. In the same poll, Chiang’s primary rival, KMT Legislator Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔), trailed Ho by 1.7 points, per UP Media. In a head-to-head comparison within the KMT primary, Chiang led Yang by 32.4 points.
Among voters who lean toward the KMT or the TPP, Chiang secured roughly 80% support from both groups, while Yang’s support hovered around 45%.
The survey, conducted March 2–3 among 1,074 respondents, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
A KMT insider said that with the KMT and DPP enjoying similar levels of support in Taichung, winning backing from TPP voters could tip the balance. The source suggested Chiang could be key to stabilizing the KMT’s hold on central Taiwan.
Asked why Chiang enjoys more favorable perceptions than both Ho and Yang, a local election insider said Chiang’s moderate stance, combined with his experience in diplomacy and national defense, contribute to an image of professionalism.
With the KMT’s Taichung primary less than a month away, some party members have expressed concern about possible DPP interference in the process. KMT Legislator Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋) called on the public to closely monitor the primary, citing widespread fears within the party about potentially inflated polling numbers, per Newtalk.
Still, Lo said the primary could help raise the profile of both candidates. He added that because Chiang has historically started campaigns slowly, a primary contest could serve as a useful warm-up.
Citing a previous TVBS poll, media commentator Chen Feng-hsin (陳鳳馨) said the KMT may not need to hold a primary if Chiang can comfortably defeat Ho, while Yang barely edged Ho in that survey, per Storm Media. She said the biggest concern would be possible DPP interference in the polling, which could allow the less competitive Yang to secure the nomination.
