The Kuomintang's candidate for Changhua County Mayor Wei Pingzheng's campaign headquarters was established. The Party Central Committee strongly supports the current county mayor, but the absence of the current county mayor highlights the challenges of local integration.

◎ Wei Jihong

The campaign headquarters of Wei Pingzheng (2nd from left), candidate for Changhua County Mayor of the Kuomintang, was grandly established on September 6. Party Chairman Zheng Liwen (1st from left) went to the scene to help. (File photo)

As the 2026 local elections heat up, the KMT’s candidate for Changhua County Mayor Wei Pingzheng’s campaign headquarters was grandly established on September 6. Party Chairman Cheng Li-wen and Taichung Mayor Lu Xiuyan went to the scene to support the campaign, demonstrating the strong support of the Party Central Committee and neighboring ruling counties and cities. However, the current county magistrate Wang Huimei did not attend and only paid tribute with a flower basket, and the position of chairman of the campaign headquarters continues to be vacant. This campaign, in addition to being lively, also highlighted the deep integration test faced by the blue camp in the local governance handover and nomination mechanism.

1. Gap between systems and communication: Anxiety about the continuation of local governance

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Judging from Wang Huimei's previous public expression of helplessness and the local turmoil, this deadlock reflects a common structural contradiction in Taiwan's party politics: When there is a gap in the nomination rhythm or candidate thinking between the central election machinery and the local governing team, it is often easy to bury the hatchet if there is a lack of detailed and sufficient communication.

For the current leader, the continuity of his administrative achievements and local construction is his greatest asset; for the Party Central Committee, the overall strategic layout needs to be considered comprehensively. If there is a gap in the understanding of rights and responsibilities between the two sides, it will easily lead to a situation where the central government is eager to move forward while the local governments wait and see. Wang Huimei's absence and the inscription on the flower basket reflect, to a certain extent, the political stance of local leaders when faced with a successor candidate other than originally expected.

The absence of Changhua County Magistrate Wang Huimei and the inscription on the flower basket reflect, to a certain extent, the political stance of local politicians when faced with a successor candidate other than originally expected. (File photo)

2. The limitations of copying winning experience: grassroots repairs that go beyond slogans

During the campaign, senior party officials used the historical experience of "reversal victory" eight years ago to encourage the team in an attempt to replicate the model of breaking through the encirclement that year. However, the winning and losing logic of the election lies in the dynamic adjustment of the time and space environment.

Historical experience can boost morale, but it cannot automatically translate into votes. Changhua is a battleground for military strategists, and the voter structure is intertwined with local factions. It is difficult to directly bridge the integration gap at the local grassroots level by relying solely on spiritual propaganda or resorting to overall slogans. How to unite the opinions of different camps, factions and supporters to the greatest common denominator is the most critical issue at present.

3. Only by resolving the knots in your heart can you move forward steadily.

Elections are an additive art. Wei Pingzheng showed a soft figure and continued to strive for recognition during the process, which is indeed the right direction to resolve the impasse. However, it takes time and sincerity to repair political trust. If the Party Central Committee and the electoral team cannot seriously face up to the concerns of the local governing teams and establish substantive dialogue channels, the so-called "unity to win the election" may face substantial obstacles. How to truly bring local strength back to the team and achieve seamless integration of the political stick will be the watershed of whether the Kuomintang can hold on to its ruling territory in Changhua.

How to truly bring local strength back to the team and achieve seamless integration of the political stick will be the watershed of whether the Kuomintang can hold on to its ruling territory in Changhua. (File photo)

(The author is the chairman of the China International Public Affairs Participation Association and the chairman of the Taiwan International Cultural and Educational Philanthropy Association)