Chang Chih-ming bolts KMT to run for Hualien magistrate

In an expected move, Chang announced his resignation from the ruling party at a press conference in the morning, declaring he would run and win the magistracy election scheduled for December 5.

“I've been doing what I can to serve the county as its magistrate,” Chang said. “And I know I would be expelled, if I do,” he pointed out. “That's why I chose to resign from the party before my certain expulsion.”

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) welcomed the Chang move, which could split the KMT in Hualien.

“We do not rule out the possibility of working together with the deputy magistrate of Hualien,” DPP spokesman Chao Tien-lin said.

The opposition party is considering nominating a candidate for magistrate of Hualien. The nomination has to be made within a couple of days.

Hualien's election commission will start issuing applications forms for registration of candidacy today. Registration has to be completed between October 5 and 9.

“But cooperation with Deputy Magistrate Chang is under serious consideration,” Chao added.

There's little chance a DPP candidate could win Hualien, a traditional power base for the KMT. Chang is supported by the outgoing magistrate of Hualien, Hsieh Shen-shan.

Even with that support, Chang may not defeat KMT lawmaker Fu Kun-chi, barred by the ruling party from running because he has been convicted of insider trading and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He is appealing the guilty verdict.

The KMT nominated Tu Li-hua, an adviser at the Hualien County government.

“We are facing a real crisis,” said Wu Poh-hsiung, outgoing chairman of the KMT.

Aside from the turmoil in Hualien, the ruling party has to recover from the shock of an eleventh hour declaration by KMT nominee Chang Li-shan of her withdrawal from the magistracy race in Yunlin.

The KMT nominee announced her withdrawal last Monday, citing the malicious maligning of her and her elder brother Chang Yung-wei, a political boss in Yunlin, as the reason.

Wu must field a new candidate for the southern Taiwan county, where his party is in fractious disarray.

Nobody seems willing to run for magistrate of Yunlin, said Wu, who is scheduled to retire on October 17, when the KMT will hold a national party congress where President Ma Ying-jeou will double as its chairman.

Hsu Shu-po, director of the KMT Yunlin council, said he has three candidates in waiting. They are Hsieh Shu-ya, Wu Wei-chih and Hsu Shu-hsiang.

The last is rector of the Global College of Technology. Hsieh is a former township chief, while Wu serves as dean of studies the Yunlin University of Science and Technology.

“We will make one of them our nominee for magistrate of Yunlin,” Hsu Shu-po said.

Wu Poh-hsiung also has other headaches.

Intraparty rivalries make it likely for the KMT to lose at least three counties where the DPP campaign for the year-end local elections is gaining momentum.

The three counties are Hsinchu, Taitung, and Nantou.

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