Taiwan's Kaohsiung mayoral race is still a two-party fight, with the ruling DPP holding a comfortable lead and the opposition KMT betting it can turn the city blue.

• DPP candidate Lai Jui-lung is running on continuity, backed by the outgoing mayor's high approval ratings, and his camp puts his lead close to double digits.
• KMT candidate Ko Chih-en has dropped the party logo from her billboards and is chasing swing voters, with her side claiming the race is now a coin flip.
• Green campaign staff have set an internal deadline of late September — if Ko has not closed the gap by then, they believe the result is effectively locked in.
• Heavy rain since late August has left potholes and flooding across the city, giving the KMT an opening to attack the DPP's record.
• Three minor candidates are also registered but are too little known to change the outcome.

Outlook: Both camps ramp up in the coming weeks, with Ko holding large rallies from mid-September and Lai launching his campaign headquarters in October.