Democratic Progressive Party Chairman Lai Ching-te appeared in person in Yilan to campaign for county magistrate candidate Lin Kuo-chang, signalling the ruling party's emphasis on this local race. The visit is a boost for Lin's camp and puts pressure on his Kuomintang rival.

• At an expanded meeting of Yilan County party cadres, Lai described Lin Kuo-chang as an upright, warm-hearted local talent, and called on the whole party to unite in the push for the 2026 local elections.
• He positioned Yilan as a key constituency in this election and, invoking his status as a "son-in-law of Yilan," sought to close the distance with voters, stressing that the party "must win."
• Speaking on the theme "Made in Yilan," Lin Kuo-chang highlighted his local roots and set out plans for water management and flood prevention. Lai pledged on the spot that the central government would give its full support to Yilan's infrastructure and hydraulic engineering projects.
• Lin Kuo-chang said both internal and external polls showed him in the lead, but stressed that only polling day reflects genuine public opinion, and that he would continue working the grassroots.
• The camp of Kuomintang candidate Wu Tsung-hsien hit back, saying that a candidate releasing his own polls in fact shows the race is tight — a case of "whistling to keep one's courage up."

Outlook: With the Yilan race entering its final sprint, the two parties' battle over polling numbers and their pledges on flood control and other local infrastructure are expected to keep heating up.