KMT poll shows DPP's Su Chiao-hui closing gap; analyst says Lee Chien-lung's defensive stance is a disadvantage

New Taipei City mayoral candidate Su Chiao-hui of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is gaining ground on her Kuomintang (KMT) rival, Lee Chien-lung, according to a recent poll. DPP councilor Cho Chuan-ting observed that Lee's campaign has been defensive, failing to present policies that resonate with voters. In contrast, Su has proactively proposed numerous social welfare initiatives, compelling Lee to react rather than lead.

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The reason why Lee Chien-lung's approval rating has not risen and has instead been narrowed by Su Chiao-hui is related to the overall election campaign being in a defensive posture.

Cho pointed to a TVBS poll commissioned by the KMT's New Taipei City councilor think tank in early June. The poll showed Su with 33% support and Lee with 39.2%, a 6.2 percentage point lead for Lee. Cho stated that this poll, ironically commissioned by the KMT, actually validates Su's growing strength. He noted that Lee's support has fallen from 47% in January, when a "blue-white alliance" was a factor, while Su's has risen from 32%. The gap has shrunk significantly from 15 percentage points to just 6.2.

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Thank you to the KMT for spending money to conduct polls, which instead proves that Su Chiao-hui is getting stronger.

Analyzing Lee's stagnant or declining poll numbers, Cho attributed it to the campaign's defensive stance. He argued that Lee has not introduced any policies that have captured public imagination in recent months. Su, however, has presented many social welfare policies, forcing Lee to play catch-up. Cho believes Lee cannot win a head-to-head contest with Su in a positive campaign, highlighting controversies surrounding land and personal property as further disadvantages for Lee.

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In contrast, Su Chiao-hui has proposed very many social welfare-related policies, forcing Lee to follow suit.