Su Chiao-hui Says New Taipei Chose Hou Yu-ih Wisely 8 Years Ago; Lee Ssu-chuan's Office: Thanks for the Affirmation, Hou Will Hand Over to Chuan-bo

New Taipei City's mayoral race is heating up, with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Su Chiao-hui making a bold statement at a recent event. She lauded the wisdom of New Taipei's voters, asserting they made the "right choice" eight years ago by electing Hou Yu-ih, a fellow嘉義 (Chiayi) native, as their mayor. This endorsement, however, has been met with a sharp retort from the Kuomintang (KMT) camp.

The campaign office for KMT candidate Lee Ssu-chuan, Hou Yu-ih's chosen successor, seized on Su's remarks. They pointed out the irony, reminding everyone that Hou's opponent eight years ago was none other than Su's own father, Su Tseng-chang. The KMT office sarcastically thanked Su for her "affirmation" of Hou, while also highlighting Hou's commitment to passing the baton to Lee, whom they describe as someone who "speaks less and does more."

This exchange underscores the deep political divisions and the strategic maneuvering at play in New Taipei. The KMT is attempting to paint Su's current praise of Hou as a political flip-flop, questioning her past allegiances. They highlighted past KMT campaign materials that allegedly attacked Hou and quotes from Su Tseng-chang that were critical of Hou. The KMT's strategy appears to be to leverage this perceived inconsistency to undermine Su's credibility and remind voters of the historical context of the previous election.

From our perspective at Liberty Times, this narrative is particularly interesting. It's a classic case of political maneuvering where past statements and allegiances are brought to the forefront. The question posed by Lee's office – whether Su voted for Hou or her father – is designed to put her on the spot and force her to reconcile her current praise with her family's political history. This local political drama, while perhaps seeming like a minor detail to international observers, is crucial in shaping voter perception within New Taipei, a city that has seen significant political shifts and where local allegiances often play a pivotal role.