Luo Chih-chiang Announces Taoyuan Mayor Candidacy 羅智強宣布參選桃園市長 辭藍副秘書長

Taipei City Councilor Luo Chih-chiang issued a declaration on the Taoyuan City mayor race, saying he will take part in the KMT primaries but respect his party's final decision.

Taipei City Councilor Luo Chih-chiang announced plans to run for Taoyuan City mayor on Facebook and took part in a press conference to show his determination in the Kuomintang's primaries on the 6th.

Luo Chih-chiang, KMT Deputy Secretary-General: “I will take part in the primaries. I am running, and I will work hard to be the strongest candidate. However, if the party decides through its (primary) mechanisms that Luo Chih-chiang is not the strongest candidate, I will respect that decision 100 percent and throw my full support behind the KMT candidate.”

Luo also announced he was resigning as KMT deputy secretary-general, but said he has not made a decision about resigning his city council seat. He also said he will give the party's primary mechanism as much space and flexibility as needed. There are rumors that KMT Chair Eric Chu recently asked Luo to withdraw from the race. Other potential KMT candidates for Taoyuan City mayor include lawmakers Lu Yu-ling, Wan Mei-ling and Lu Ming-che.

Lu Yu-ling, Legislator (KMT): “The party has its primary mechanisms and I respect the party's decision.”

Wan Mei-ling, Legislator (KMT): “As of right now, I think it would help party unity if there is some kind of coordination effort first.”

Lu Yu-ling says everyone is worried the situation could turn into a free-for-all if the party doesn't get its act together, which would hurt both the KMT and Taoyuan City. Seven months remain until the elections, but the KMT has not yet finalized its list of candidates. The KMT has so far confirmed only Tainan City Councilor Hsieh Lung-chieh as its Tainan City mayor candidate and incumbent Yang Wen-ke as its Hsinchu County magistrate candidate.

大動作召開記者會，台北市議員羅智強凌晨先在臉書宣布參選桃園市長，接著上午10點現身說明參選國民黨初選提名機制的決心。

國民黨副秘書長羅智強表示：「我宣布參加初選的提名機制，就是讓自己成為一個選項，然後我努力讓自己，成為最強的選項，但是如果黨中央透過機制，覺得羅智強不是最強的選項，我也會百分之百的尊重，祝福支持國民黨最後提名的參選人。」

宣布辭去國民黨副秘書長，但對於是否辭去台北市議員一職，羅智強則表示再給他一些思考的時間，對於初選機制一定給黨中央最大的空間和彈性。傳出國民黨主席朱立倫日前致電勸退羅智強，黨內聲音多，可能出征的桃園市長人選，除了羅智強，還有立法委員呂玉玲、萬美玲以及魯明哲等人。

國民黨立委呂玉玲說：「黨中央有他自己選舉的機制，我尊重黨中央的決定。」

國民黨立委萬美玲則表示：「現階段看起來，如果可以先進行協調，我覺得是有助於團結。」

呂玉玲表示，現在地方上都很焦慮，黨內如果沒有做決定，就變成大家都在帶風向或放話，對國民黨和桃園市都是一種傷害。剩下7個多月的備戰時間，國民黨執政縣市能否延續執政，人選名單都還在確認中，目前國民黨已經提名確認的包括台南市議員謝龍介參選台南市長，以及新竹縣長楊文科競選連任。