Changhua County Magistrate Nomination Dispute: Wang Huei-mei Sends a Flower Basket to Wei Ping-cheng
The internal rift within the Kuomintang in Changhua is showing signs of easing, which is good news for the pan-blue camp's electoral prospects, though it remains uncertain whether the underlying resentment has truly been resolved.
- Only the day before, Changhua County Magistrate Wang Huei-mei publicly choked up, complaining that during the nomination process she "carried little weight" and that her suggestions had not been taken seriously by the party's central leadership.
- The following day she sent a congratulatory flower basket to candidate Wei Ping-cheng, wishing the opening of his campaign headquarters every success, and Wei publicly expressed his thanks on Facebook.
- Wei had earlier gone in person to the magistrate's office to deliver an invitation but found her out, leaving a secretary to receive it on her behalf; Wang also said she had received only a schedule and no invitation letter.
- This nomination turmoil is a problem that party chair Cheng Li-wun has been unable to settle despite making repeated trips south to support the campaign, and grassroots members are anxious about the faltering efforts to unify the party.
Outlook: Wei Ping-cheng's campaign headquarters opening rally takes place tomorrow, and whether Wang Huei-mei shows up will be the key indicator by which outside observers judge whether the pan-blue camp's unification efforts have succeeded.