TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A wave of recall efforts targeting six KMT legislators in Taoyuan has reached the election phase, but complex local dynamics cast uncertainty over the outcome.
The DPP’s organization in Taoyuan has faltered since the detention of former Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) in a high-profile corruption case, per UP Media. Although DPP Legislator Wang Yi-chuan (王義川) has stepped into the leadership role, insiders say he lacks the influence Cheng once wielded over local party operations.
The most vulnerable KMT lawmakers are considered to be Tu Chuan-chi (涂權吉) and Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭). DPP sources told UP Media that while Tu narrowly defeated his DPP opponent last year, the party sees a greater chance of unseating Niu, citing his close ties to more combative KMT legislators.
Tu, meanwhile, may benefit from the political baggage of former DPP lawmaker Huang Shih-chieh (黃世杰), whom he unseated. Despite Huang’s support from Cheng in both the 2020 and 2024 elections, his strained relationships with local councilors during the 2022 local elections have weakened his standing.
Party insiders acknowledge that the tangled political landscape makes any political maneuver in this traditionally DPP-leaning district a difficult proposition, per UP Media.
In response to the recall campaigns, Taoyuan Mayor Simon Chang (張善政) has outlined three targeted strategies aimed at protecting the city's KMT legislators, per UP Media. An internal KMT assessment reportedly shows that KMT lawmakers Lu Ming-che (魯明哲), Wan Mei-ling (萬美玲), Lu Yu-ling (呂玉玲), and Chiu Jo-hua (邱若華) are relatively safe due to strong local support built over long tenures.
To shore up their positions, Chang has proposed increasing their visibility through municipal inspections. For Niu, he plans to emphasize transportation improvements, particularly how the metro system has eased traffic congestion and boosted employment connectivity with Taipei and New Taipei.
For Tu, the strategy involves spotlighting what the KMT sees as DPP missteps in energy policy, particularly targeting the solid recovered fuel power plant in his district. A KMT aide told UP Media that while Tu previously secured substantial funding as a city councilor, his 2024 victory was largely due to an energized KMT voter turnout.
The aide added that more aggressive tactics may be needed to protect Tu and Niu from recall, including efforts to galvanize anti-DPP sentiment among the KMT base.
