Key facts
- Chiang Wan-an apologized to supporters at his campaign launch on October 26 for causing them anxiety over his re-election bid.
- Chiang said his administration helped bring Nvidia's first overseas headquarters to Taipei.
- Chiang said Taipei received a Special Mention in the 2026 Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize.
- Political observer Shen Chen-lan said it is unclear how many attendees at Shen's event were from Taipei.
- Chiang's campaign put turnout at his October 26 launch at 50,000, while organizers claimed 120,000 at Shen's October 4 launch.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an of the Kuomintang faced an unexpectedly tough re-election fight against Democratic Progressive Party candidate Puma Shen, in a race reported without a publication date. Local elections in Taiwan are scheduled for November 28, 2026.
A TVBS poll in late May put Chiang 28 percentage points ahead of Shen, an academic and relatively inexperienced DPP backbencher. By September, Shen's rallies were drawing large crowds, and one recent poll showed Shen ahead of Chiang by 17 percentage points, according to the report.
At the launch of his campaign headquarters on October 26, Chiang apologized to supporters for causing them anxiety. "I want to say to everyone, I'm sorry you had to worry about me," he said. Chiang cited his administration's role in bringing Nvidia's first overseas headquarters to Taipei, free school lunches and measures toward a smoke-free city.
Shen's campaign office launch on October 4 was packed, with organizers claiming 120,000 in attendance, a figure the report said was disputed. Chiang's campaign put turnout at his October 26 event at 50,000. Political observer Shen Chen-lan said KMT rallies are generally less impressive than the DPP's but that this does not mean the KMT is lagging in support, adding that it is unclear how many attendees at Shen's event were from Taipei rather than surrounding counties.