Worries grow over a surprise KMT win in next year’s election
By Eryk Michael Smith
KAOHSIUNG — Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate for Kaohsiung mayor, Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑), opened his campaign office on Bo Ai 2nd Road in the city’s Zuoying District on Friday, marking the official start of his run. Local supporters and party figures attended the event, but most polls point to Hsu struggling to consolidate momentum behind his mayoral bid.
There are four main Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rivals for the 2026 Kaohsiung mayoral contest: legislators Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩), Lin Tai-hua (林岱樺), Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑), and Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆). The Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang or KMT) has already selected their candidate, KMT legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩). Ko is the same person who took on Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) in the 2022 election, and she came away with just over 40% of the vote, a high margin in what’s traditionally considered a “green” or DPP stronghold.
The DPP has yet to settle on their candidate, and some are raising concerns that Kaohsiung could fall to the KMT as it did in 2018 under the eventually recalled KMT mayor-turned-presidential candidate Han Guo-yu (韓國瑜). DPP candidate Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩), cautioned on Tuesday that President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) declining approval ratings could weaken the party’s chances in Kaohsiung’s upcoming mayoral contest.
Chiu said that while DPP hopefuls still hold an edge in most surveys, Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) has been closing the gap, according to Newtalk. She urged party members to remain united and work to rebuild voter confidence.
UDN reported that according to internal DPP polls, Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) led Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) 44.3% to 37.2%. Other matchups showed Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) ahead of Ko 44.2% to 36.0%, Lin Tai-hua (林岱樺) leading 42.6% to 34.9%, and Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑) topping Ko 40.8% to 38.2%. These margins, however, fall far short of the glory days of former DPP mayor Chen Chu (陳菊), who won a decisive 68% in 2014.
