Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen has recently been campaigning frequently for the pan-blue camp and has publicly called for "the whole nation to topple Lai in 2028," a move seen as a warm-up for the presidential election — good news for Kuomintang supporters, and pressure on the Democratic Progressive Party.

• Lu Shiow-yen has shifted away from her previously mild "mayor mom" image and begun taking clear positions on political issues.
• Last week she appeared alongside Legislative Yuan Speaker Han Kuo-yu and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, declaring that for the KMT to "return to power, no one can be left out."
• Pan-blue candidates for mayor and county magistrate posts are competing to invite her to campaign for them, and the party is glad to see her influence spread across Taiwan.
• KMT legislator Lo Ting-wei stressed that Lu's first priority remains completing the handover of Taichung's municipal administration.
• The consensus within the party is to avoid the infighting of rival heavyweights refusing to share a stage, and to make unity the foundation for taking on 2028.

Outlook: Lu Shiow-yen is expected to keep expanding her campaign-support footprint while facing more intensive attacks from the DPP, and the shape of pan-blue consolidation ahead of 2028 will grow increasingly clear.