Taiwan's ruling DPP is trying to flip Taipei's mayor seat, and a veteran party strategist says its candidate is currently the underdog and needs to change tactics.

• Puma Shen is challenging sitting Taipei mayor Chiang Wan-an, working street markets and night markets to win over voters.
• Former cabinet official Chang Ching-sen says Shen is behind and should stop relying on staff-planned events and small campaign tricks.
• His advice: learn from Chen Shui-bian's broader strategic thinking, and even talk to opposition figures like Jaw Shaw-kong, Ma Ying-jeou and Ko Wen-je, who understand Chiang's weak spots and why Taipei voters dislike the DPP.
• Chang argues Chiang is not as strong as he looks — voters do not love him, they just do not hate him.
• Shen has already sought advice from Tsai Ing-wen, whose style Chang sees as a model that could work in Taipei.

Outlook: With the local elections inside the final 100 days and polls showing tight races, expect Shen to widen his outreach beyond DPP circles.