A Misdirection?

* KMT presidential nominee Han Kuo-yu surprised most on 11/29 when he urged supporters to "purposedly mislead polls by pledging their unconditional support for the reelection of President Tsai Ing-wen." The immediate reaction was mixed. It gave further credence to claims that Han has not been able to attract middle-of-the-road voters deemed critical for an upset victory on 1/11.

* Long frustrated by poor poll numbers and his inept campaign to broaden support, this calculated move was undoubtedly a first in Taiwan's young democracy. Though not considered a desperation attempt to make the race competitive again, many believe Han's campaign has reached a bottleneck, with the election less than 40 days away.

* Amidst allegations against his real estate holdings, Han's image as an "ordinary person" has come under close scrutiny and threatened to unravel the "down-to-earth" theme that has propelled his campaign from last year's mayoral contest to this year's presidential pursuit. With time running out, a turnaround is not completely out of the question, but has become increasingly difficult.