Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen is stepping up efforts to boost his campaign, a positive sign for supporters, but he still trails his opponent.

• Shen launched his first hometown support group in Taipei, targeting Chiayi natives working in the capital.
• Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang and county magistrate candidate Tsai Yi-yu appeared at the event to endorse him.
• He said he trailed in the polls at the start, but the gap with his opponent has now narrowed.
• His central pitch is to take Taipei international, aligning it with New York, Tokyo, Paris and London, and to resolve municipal controversies such as the high-priced sunshades.
• Tsai Yi-yu recalled how the two became acquainted through the Hung Chung-chiu case, stressing that Shen gave up a large law firm to become a public interest lawyer.

Outlook: Shen is expected to keep relying on hometown associations and appearances by local politicians to raise his profile, and whether he can turn the race around depends on whether the polling gap narrows further.