Taiwan's ruling party is pouring resources into the Changhua county race, a sign the DPP wants to lock in a lead rather than defend a weak spot.

• President Lai Ching-te, who also chairs the DPP, visited Changhua for the third time this month to back county magistrate candidate Chen Su-yueh.
• Chen is polling ahead and her campaign calls the race cautiously optimistic, which makes the heavy schedule of visits notable.
• Asked why he keeps returning to a safe district, and whether he can get a NT$1.1 trillion defense budget through the legislature, Lai smiled and gave no answer.
• The trip centered on an industry forum on drones and defense supply chains that drew a packed room of small and mid-sized business owners.
• Chen promised a single-window office inside the magistrate's office to help local firms move into AI and drone supply work.

Outlook: Expect more high-profile DPP visits to Changhua as year-end local elections approach, with drones and defense spending as the campaign's economic pitch.