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TAIPEI: As Taiwanese await the results, many are keeping a close eye on the central county of Taichung as it could prove pivotal to determining the outcome of the presidential race.
In 2004, the Democratic Progressive Party won a narrow victory in Taichung.
Running against Lien Chan and James Soong from the opposition pan-blue camp, the DPP team of Chen Shui-bian and Annette Lu edged a narrow victory of some 30,000 votes.
That represented just 0.2 percent of total eligible votes, but it made a huge difference.
In that race, both camps were locked in a stalemate.
And it was down to the central belt of Taichung city and county, as well as Changhua and Nantou, to decide the outcome.
The DPP eventually won by a single percentage-point.
Fast forward to 20-08.
This time, Taichung's KMT mayor Jason Hu is confident the tide has turned.
Pointing to recent election defeats for the DPP, he's predicting a 10 percentage point lead for his comrade Ma Ying-jeou.
Jason Hu, Taichung Mayor, said: “In Central Taiwan, about 80% of local leaders are KMT members. So I think what we have done in the past, have convinced voters we could deliver what they want in their lives."
But the DPP begs to differ.
The party's Taichung cadre said new issues are at stake that have levelled the playing field.
Chang Liow Wan Qian, DPP Taichung cadre, said: “The KMT's common market proposal is a threat to hawkers and farmers. They are already feeling a sense of crisis. Because of this, we're hopeful that the votes from Taichung and Changhua may even be better than four years ago."
If Ma Ying-jeou and Frank Hsieh consolidate their support bases in Northern and Southern Taiwan, central counties like Taichung may well play a critical role in deciding who will be the next president. - CNA/vm
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