Lu Backs Chiang as KMT Moves Early to Consolidate Party
United Daily News Commentary, October 18, 2026
With less than a month before the local elections on November 28, Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen will serve as chair of Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s campaign headquarters. The fact that a sitting mayor of Taichung is crossing city boundaries to campaign for the mayor of the capital speaks for itself. This is not only a major event in the year-end local elections but is also widely viewed as a prelude to the 2028 presidential election. If Chiang secures re-election, he will not only consolidate the Kuomintang’s (KMT) governing advantage in the capital but also create more political possibilities for the next presidential election.
Looking first at the current election, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) mayoral candidate Shen Po-yang has rallied supporters under the slogan “Ocean Current.” Large crowds attended the inauguration of his campaign headquarters, introducing uncertainty into what had originally been considered a secure path to re-election for the incumbent mayor. Chiang had initially intended to travel beyond Taipei to campaign for candidates across the country, but he must now devote more time and energy to remaining in the capital. Although internal KMT polls still show him leading, the real concern is not who will win or lose, but whether supporters will become complacent because the race appears favorable and whether voter turnout can be sustained. At this juncture, Ms. Lu, whose image is moderate and whose grassroots support is strong, is an appropriate choice to stabilize the race and rally supporters.
For Mayor Chiang, the outgoing Taichung mayor can not only help him earn the trust of centrist and middle-aged and older voters, but her experience governing Taichung can also lend greater credibility to his municipal policy proposals. In particular, Taichung’s experience with urban development following the relocation of Shuinan Airport could serve as a point of reference for Chiang’s proposal to relocate Songshan Airport.
What is truly intriguing is Ms. Lu’s political strategy. She has chaired KMT Taichung mayoral candidate Johnny Chiang’s campaign headquarters, crossed party lines to accept the honorary chairmanship of the campaign headquarters of Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Taichung City Councilor Chiang Ho-shu, and arranged to attend campaign events for Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao. Combined with reports that she plans to establish an office after leaving office, this series of moves suggests that she is attempting to transform herself from a local government leader into a political coordinator who can bridge the KMT and TPP and connect political forces across northern and southern Taiwan. Her move north to Taipei is now another crucial step in extending her political influence to the capital, while laying the groundwork for her political role after leaving office.
The KMT emphasizes the “close sister-brother relationship” between Lu and Chiang, presenting their partnership as an example of collective campaigning and cooperation between generations. Although Chiang has repeatedly stated that he is focused solely on municipal governance and will not discuss 2028, political interpretations have already moved ahead of him. Regardless of whether the two individuals intend it this way, their cooperation will inevitably be examined in the context of the KMT’s future power arrangements, while also outlining the party’s next phase of internal competition and cooperation.
On the surface, the November election results will determine the political futures of two mayors. In reality, they will affect the KMT’s power arrangements over the next two years and determine who can command greater influence in 2028. Lu has made an assertive move, but the political game has only just begun. By campaigning for Chiang today, is she accumulating political capital of her own, or helping the KMT cultivate another key figure?