Kuomintang Taichung mayoral candidate Chiang Chi-chen has taken his campaign into Taiping District, the stronghold of his opponent Ho Hsin-chun — a move onto the offensive for the KMT.

• With 84 days left before the year-end local elections, Chiang canvassed for votes today at Zhongshan Market in Taiping District.
• Taiping is a vote bank for his Democratic Progressive Party opponent Ho Hsin-chun, so campaigning there amounts to stepping directly onto her turf.
• Several city councillors, local party branch chairs and borough wardens accompanied him, signalling that the KMT intends to fight a full-scale grassroots organisational campaign.
• The campaign team handed out reusable shopping bags as promotional material, and the market's self-governance association opened up its public-address system so he could address all the stallholders.

Outlook: With three months to go before the election, both sides are expected to step up their canvassing in Taichung's neighbourhoods, and the contest over key districts such as Taiping will only grow more intense.