Zhong Shuangwei
| Zhong Shuangwei | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Magistrate of Taohan Township | |
| Assumed office January 1st, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Darren Cai |
| Member of the Minzu Legislature | |
| In office March 3rd, 2016 – January 1st, 2020 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 3, 1959 |
| Nationality | Laeralian |
| Political party | Laeralian People's Party |
| Alma mater | University of Meilinis—Songshan, Laeralsford College of Dentistry |
Zhong Shuangwei is a Laeralian politician best known for his 2022 candidacy for president of Laeral in the Laeralian People's Party primary. Zhong worked as a dentist before founding the construction company Zhong & Sons Development, of which he continues to serve as CEO. Elected to the Minzu provincial legislature in 2016, Zhong made a bid for governor in 2020 yet was defeated in the People's Party primary. In 2020, he was also elected as magistrate of Taohan township, and in 2022 he ran as the sole candidate to challenge party leader Florian St. Marc for the LPP nomination for president, obtaining over 40% of primary votes.[1]
Birth and Upbringing[edit | edit source]
Zhong Shuangwei was born in 1959 in Minzu, Laeral, to a politically-influential family: notably, his grandfather, Zhong Qiang, was elected as governor of Minzu in 1972 for the Progressive Party, and would serve three terms. The younger Zhong thus lived with his brothers in the Minzu governor's mansion until his grandfather's removal from office following allegations of state collusion with an illegal moonshine ring.
Career[edit | edit source]
Zhong attended the University of Meilinis at Songshan, majoring in Biochemistry, and received his Doctorate in Dental Medicine in 1985 from the Laeralsford College of Dentistry. After working briefly at a private practice in Avrainville, Zhong joined the Medical Youth Corps, a public-health non-profit, in 1988. He worked stints as a community dentist in Lijiang province, the Xueyan Special Administrative Region, and in rural Haesan.
Alongside brother Zhong Yuesheng and nephew Zhong Yongping, Zhong returned to Minzu to found the construction company Zhong & Sons Development in 1994. Beginning with few assets, the corporation eventually grew to great success, with over 600 employees as of 2022.
Electoral History[edit | edit source]
In 2016, Zhong attempted to challenge the incumbent governor of Minzu, Luo Tai, in the Laeralian People's Party primary. Although spending heavily to defeat the incumbent, whose approval ratings were poor even among members of his party, Zhong was defeated in the primary with 44% of the vote. Offered the nomination for Provincial Auditor as a consolation, Zhong declined and instead was elected to a safely LPP seat in the provincial legislature, where he focused his tenure on reforming the provincial lottery, expanding healthcare access, and overturning a provincial clean-air law.
In 2020, Zhong announced a bid for magistrate of Taohan township, easily winning the LPP primary and defeating a New Democratic challenger to win the seat. As the township's executive, Zhong adopted a strong approach against petty crime and cross-border smuggling and increased funding for law enforcement, as well as negotiating a contract for an extension of the military lease at the Baichigan air station.
Presidential Bid[edit | edit source]
In 2022, Zhong announced a bid for president for the Laeralian People's Party, becoming the only candidate to run in opposition to Party Secretary Florian St. Marc. Despite a fundraising deficit and being largely bereft of endorsements from party elected officials, Zhong's dark-horse campaign garnered media attention centered on the unexpected resonance of his populist campaign message of "throw out the crooks" among LPP primary voters.[2]
Zhong's campaign was also criticized in a public edict by Minjian Archpriest Du Xinfang in October 2022 following Zhong's claim at a speech to donors that luminary, or Minjian saint, Beiyin had appeared to him in a dream and urged him to seek the presidency. In a leaked voice recording, Zhong was heard stating that "I’m proud to have had a personal relationship with my Beiyin as I grew up. I’ve often prayed to him for guidance in times of need, or found wise advice in the Book of Luminaries. And so when Honored Beiyin appeared to me in a dream and asked me to announce that I would seek the presidency, I could not refuse." This statement was criticized as improper and sacrilegious by clerical authorities as Zhong was campaigning for public office.[3]
On November 4th, 2022, Zhong conceded defeat in the People's Party presidential primary with 41.06% of ballots from party members.[4]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ https://medium.com/@electionslaeral/narrative-day-of-judgement-74a7d53aa4d7
- ↑ https://medium.com/@electionslaeral/get-laeral-moving-vs-throw-out-the-crooks-clash-of-themes-tempers-at-peoples-party-debate-9d1fcd37f3c4
- ↑ https://medium.com/@electionslaeral/immoral-and-sacrilegious-archpriest-du-xinfang-condemns-zhongs-invocation-of-minjian-luminary-6476791b6368
- ↑ https://medium.com/@electionslaeral/narrative-day-of-judgement-74a7d53aa4d7