Jakarta – Golkar Party chairman Airlangga Hartarto was optimistic that more party members would support President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's reelection bid next year.

"Now, the number [of party members supporting Jokowi] stands at over 75 percent and it continues to grow," Airlangga said on Tuesday as quoted bykompas.com.

He added that about 90 percent of Golkar members and cadres would support Jokowi and his running mate, Ma'ruf Amin, before voting day in April. "There are still four months left. We are still working [to meet the target]," Airlangga said.

Muhammad Romahurmuziy, the chairman of the United Development Party (PPP), which also backs Jokowi's reelection bid, previously said the PPP and Golkar faced the biggest challenge to win over party members compared to other parties in Jokowi's coalition.

He said many cadres had the potential to support rival Prabowo Subianto and his running mate, Sandiaga Uno, as a consequence of the last presidential election. In the 2014 race, both the PPP and Golkar endorsed Prabowo who at that time was paired with Hatta Rajasa.

"Other parties [in the coalition], which have supported Jokowi since 2014, have a relatively high number [of cadres supporting Jokowi] that stood at more than 90 percent. The PPP and Golkar have more work to do," Romahurmuziy said.

Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/12/20/more-party-cadres-support-jokowi-golkar.html