A rift has opened within the Kuomintang over its choice of candidate for Changhua County magistrate — bad news for a blue camp hoping to win next year's local elections.

• Party Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun appeared in Changhua to campaign for nominee Wei Ping-cheng for the fourth time in three weeks, while incumbent Magistrate Wang Huei-mei was absent each time.
• Cheng acknowledged that party headquarters was ultimately unable to find the successor Wang had in mind, but stressed that there is no bad blood between the two.
• Wang said on Facebook that she learned of the nomination decision through the media while she was abroad, and that it was not the candidate she favoured.
• She also defended appearing alongside Lai Ching-te, saying it was to secure infrastructure funding for Changhua, not a political overture.
• Wang, who has governed for eight years, is still assessing whether Wei Ping-cheng is qualified to take over the county administration.

Outlook: The blue camp has yet to complete its consolidation in Changhua, and whether Wang Huei-mei publicly backs Wei Ping-cheng will be decisive for the race.