TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — DPP lawmaker Wang Shih-chien (王世堅) on Monday dismissed rumors that the party could replace its Tainan mayoral nominee, Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃), with her primary rival, Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲).
Responding to speculation, Wang said the DPP has never allowed a candidate who lost a primary to overturn the results, per NOWNews. He added that Lin’s character would not allow such a move, saying Lin would accept the outcome of the primary.
Wang suggested recent political billboards featuring Lin and DPP Tainan City Council Speaker Chiu Li-li (邱莉莉) may have been repurposed for Lunar New Year constituent outreach rather than signaling a challenge to Chen’s candidacy. He said Lin and President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) are expected to campaign in Tainan to support Chen’s election bid.
Commenting on the billboards, former KMT official Chen Kuan-an (陳冠安) noted that they list Lin as a legislator rather than as a primary candidate, per Newtalk. He questioned whether the billboards had not yet been removed or were recently installed for “other purposes.”
KMT lawmaker Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) also weighed in, suggesting rumors about replacing Chen could stem from lingering animosity between Chen and Lin following the primary, per Storm Media. She said Chen’s attacks on KMT lawmaker Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would have limited impact if party unity remained fragile.
Lin recently attended the primary registration of DPP city council candidates who had supported him, per Liberty Times. He said that when the top of the ticket does not provide sufficient support, individual candidates must unite to overcome challenges.
Asked whether his remarks reflected doubts about Chen’s ability to support all DPP candidates in Tainan, Lin said the city’s size requires coordination among lawmakers and councilors across districts. He said the party’s goal is to secure a majority on the Tainan City Council.
Lin said he is confident Chen can win the mayoral race but added that the DPP’s greatest challenge is maximizing council seats. He described the councilors who backed him in the primary as loyal candidates who uphold the party’s values.
