Avoiding the Campaign? ‘Undefeated Goddess’ Wang Hui-mei’s Planned Visit to Premier Cho Angers KMT Grass Roots

Wang Hui-mei returned from Europe and immediately announced that she would personally visit Premier Cho Jung-tai. The timing set off anger among KMT supporters in Changhua, who are waiting to see whether the county magistrate will accompany the party’s recruited candidate, Wei Ping-cheng, when he registers on Sept. 3.

Wang flew to Europe on Aug. 24 for a 10-day visit and returned on Sept. 2. She said on Facebook that she had sent Deputy Magistrate Chou Chieh to the Executive Yuan to meet Secretary-General Ruan Chao-hsiung, who is from Changhua’s Hemei Township, and brief him on the county’s major construction needs. She added that she would soon meet Cho “to make the greatest effort to transform Changhua.”

For KMT activists, however, the post looked less like a routine push for local projects than a carefully timed explanation for staying away from the campaign. Wang has declined four times to appear alongside party chair Cheng Li-wun. She has also said she would not serve as head of Wei’s campaign headquarters. With registration for the year-end election closing on Sept. 4, only two days remain for Wang to join Wei at the registration event.

Supporters point out that Wang built her career under the KMT banner, moving from county councilor and Lukang township chief to legislator and county magistrate. They describe her as an “undefeated goddess” developed with the support of local activists and senior party figures. Her approaching departure after two terms, combined with her refusal to campaign for the party’s chosen candidate and her repeated avoidance of Cheng, has left deep-blue supporters feeling hurt and disillusioned.