Keelung's mayoral race is heating up as the ruling party's candidate courts traditional market vendors, with a well-known former lawmaker lending her hometown credibility.

• DPP Keelung mayoral candidate Tung Tzu-wei campaigned through Xinyi Market, one of the city's main traditional shopping hubs.
• Former legislator Kao Chia-yu, who grew up next to the market and is running for a Taipei council seat, backed him as the best person to remake Keelung.
• The pitch centered on rebuilding the aging market and pulling central government money into the city.
• Commuting pain is the other main theme — thousands of Keelung residents travel to Taipei daily and want better transport links.
• The campaign is framing the choice as a return to former mayor Lin Yu-chang's building record, arguing current mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang has delivered little.

Outlook: Expect the race to stay focused on market renewal, transport, and who can pull the most funding from Taipei.