TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — DPP Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said Thursday that his real opponent in the party’s Tainan branch leadership race is not Tainan City Council Deputy Speaker Lin Chih-chan (林志展), but former Central Executive Committee member Kuo Tsai-chin (郭再欽).
The contest has been seen as an internal struggle among DPP forces in Tainan aligned with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and the New Tide faction, as both Kuo Kuo-wen and Lin Chih-chan are affiliated with the group, per Tai Sounds. Kuo Kuo-wen said Lin Chih-chan joined the party after Lai campaigned for him and added that Lin Chih-chan declined Lai’s attempt to dissuade him from entering the race.
Asked why Lin Chih-chan insisted on running, Kuo Kuo-wen said the decision was driven by support from Kuo Tsai-chin. Citing Kuo Tsai-chin’s alleged involvement in controversies, including a slag-dumping case and a solar farm fraud case in Syuejia District, he said any association risked damaging the party’s image.
Kuo Kuo-wen warned against what he described as the “KMT-ification” of the DPP, referencing the factional politics associated with the KMT in Tainan during one-party rule. He argued that because the DPP rose to prominence by dismantling that system, it should avoid reverting to such practices.
Lin Chih-chan responded by saying his character is well known in Tainan and declined to directly address the allegations, per Liberty Times. With the 2026 local elections and the 2028 general election approaching, Lin Chih-chan said the party chair should focus on unity rather than internal disputes.
Kuo Kuo-wen said his candidacy reflects grassroots support and aims to help Lai secure future electoral victories. He added that with base support showing slight signs of decline, the party should do more to prevent factionalism from taking hold, citing Yunlin as an example of entrenched local factions.
DPP Tainan City Councilor and former caucus convener Chou Chia-wei (周嘉韋) urged Kuo Kuo-wen to reflect on why some of his former supporters have turned against him, per UDN. Chou said Lin Chih-chan had helped consolidate local factions, including Kuo Tsai-chin’s, in support of Kuo Kuo-wen during the previous leadership race, and questioned the consistency of Kuo Kuo-wen’s criticism.
Chou also cited poor communication between the city council caucus and the party’s local branch as a source of instability over the past two years. Addressing reports that Lai had asked Lin Chih-chan to withdraw, Chou said Lai’s priority is party unity and electoral success, not backing specific individuals.
In addition to support from Kuo Tsai-chin, Lin Chih-chan has reportedly sought backing from DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃), per TVBS. Chen defeated Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲), a candidate backed by Lin Chih-chan, in a closely contested primary.
During that race, Lin Chun-hsien’s camp was backed by a majority of DPP-aligned factions in Tainan.
While Lin Chun-hsien accompanied Kuo Kuo-wen when he registered for the branch chair race, Tainan City Council Speaker Chiu Li-li (邱莉莉) and several figures from Lin Chun-hsien’s faction have backed Lin Chih-chan. Given Kuo Kuo-wen’s strong opposition to Chen during the primary, reconciliation appears unlikely, potentially opening the door to an alliance between Lin Chih-chan and Chen.
Local observers said Lin Chih-chan could leverage the resources of the branch chair to secure Chen’s support, which may prove decisive if Lin Chun-hsien’s faction remains divided. One local insider said that if Lin Chih-chan gains Chen’s backing, he would have a strong chance of defeating Kuo Kuo-wen.
