TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —  On Saturday (Nov. 26) evening, former Premier Simon Chang (張善政) declared that he had won Taoyuan City back for the Kuomintang (KMT) after eight years of rule by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

He proclaimed victory over his main rival, DPP legislator Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬), as preliminary vote tallies showed him receiving just over half the votes, UDN reported.

The race in Taoyuan was complicated for the DPP after their original candidate, former Hsinchu City Mayor Lin Chih-chien (林智堅), withdrew following statements by two universities that confirmed accusations of thesis plagiarism. Despite defending his innocence, Lin nevertheless chose not to continue his bid for mayor.

The DPP then named Cheng Yun-peng to replace Lin. However, veteran former DPP lawmaker Cheng Pao-ching (鄭寶清) also joined the race as an independent. Neither Cheng Pao-ching nor the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) candidate, Lai Hsiang-ling (賴香伶), made a significant impact on Saturday's vote.

Taoyuan is the site of Taiwan’s main airport and is also home to numerous high-tech firms.

Chang, 68, worked at Acer Inc. and Google before entering politics. He previously served as the KMT’s vice-presidential candidate in 2020. During his mayoral campaign, he was one of several candidates across the country who faced accusations of plagiarism.