A former county land administration chief is mounting a second run for the top job in Taiwan's Matsu islands, setting up a credibility fight with the sitting magistrate.

• Tsao Erh-yuan, who lost the last election, registered as an independent candidate for Lienchiang County magistrate.
• He is attacking incumbent Wang Chung-ming, of the Kuomintang, for seeking a second term after promising four years ago to serve only one.
• Tsao is running on honesty, practical governance and a "new image for Matsu," pointing to more than 40 years in public service.
• Wang has declined to respond to the accusation.
• Alongside the magistrate race, three county council candidates have registered so far, mostly KMT incumbents plus one independent.

Outlook: With registration still open, the race is shaping up as a one-on-one test of whether the broken term pledge sticks to Wang.