Respected by his colleagues for his patient and cautious approach to problems, prior to the election he was not considered colorful enough to win the public's favor.
因此選戰之初，呈現的姿態較低。但後來情勢急轉，蔡明耀以「哀兵」的姿態積極從事競選活動，後來聲勢日趨壯大，而終以三千餘票之差，擊敗了余陳月瑛。一般認為，蔡明耀的致勝因素，在於競選策略的運用成功。蔡家世代務農，社會繁榮的結果，使得蔡家在鳳山五甲的土地增值。