Ruling party chairman Lai Ching-te travelled to Changhua to campaign for county commissioner candidate Chen Su-yueh, giving the DPP's prospects in central Taiwan a boost, though the race remains an uphill battle.

• The DPP held a mobile session of its Central Standing Committee in Changhua, effectively mobilising the entire party behind Chen Su-yueh's campaign.
• Lai Ching-te stressed that Chen Su-yueh is not a parachute candidate: after losing the race for Yuanlin township chief, she went on to push for Yuanlin's upgrade to city status, making good on her promise to voters.
• The campaign is focusing on Changhua's three major problems: an ageing population, low wages, and population outflow.
• Chen Su-yueh's platform centres on social welfare, transport infrastructure, and helping small and medium-sized enterprises upgrade.
• The pitch is clear: only by electing a county commissioner aligned with the central government can Changhua secure resources.

Outlook: As the local elections approach, the DPP is expected to keep stepping up its mobilisation in Changhua, with the opposing camp's choice of candidate and the ensuing back-and-forth the next thing to watch.