Poll Shows Razor-Thin Margin; Ko Chih-en Vows to Win More Support in Kaohsiung Mayoral Race

(Central News Agency reporter Cai Mengyu, Kaohsiung, 4th) A media outlet released a new poll today showing that Kuomintang Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Ko Chih-en's approval rating is only 0.6 percentage points behind her Democratic Progressive Party rival, Lai Jui-lung. Ko stated she would do her utmost to win more support; Lai responded that the true purpose of polls is to serve as a factual reference for campaign strategy and public opinion assessment.

TVBS News released a new poll today showing that among the KMT and DPP candidates for Kaohsiung mayor, Kuomintang's Ko Chih-en has an approval rating of 39.7%, narrowly trailing the DPP's Lai Jui-lung at 40.3%, a gap of only 0.6 percentage points.

In response, Ko Chih-en stated that she respects all polls and that the growth in her approval rating reflects not only increasing trust from Kaohsiung citizens but also their expectations for the future mayor, particularly regarding the ability to be more executive and responsible when facing major issues.

Ko emphasized that she believes she is more suitable than her opponent to be Kaohsiung's mayor and will continue to listen to grassroots voices and propose more concrete policies, vowing to "make citizens feel the difference and do my utmost to win more people's support."

Lai Jui-lung responded by saying that the true purpose of polls is to be based on facts and serve as a reference for election strategy and public opinion assessment. He stated that rational and pragmatic citizens understand that "entrusting the city's future is not about data divorced from facts, but about who has truly stood by Kaohsiung for the long term and defended its rights."

Lai said that in the face of various political attacks, the most important thing is to return to the essence of municipal governance: prioritizing Kaohsiung's development and the interests of its citizens. He stressed that only by truly protecting Kaohsiung's industries, creating job opportunities, and promoting urban transformation can one gain the trust and support of the people.

When asked about the matter at the Kaohsiung City Council this morning, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai said he is currently focused on municipal affairs and hopes to do a good job so that citizens feel the difference. (Editor: Huang Mingxi) 1150604