TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan People's Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang's (黃國昌) entry into the 2026 New Taipei City mayoral race has ignited fierce strategic debates within the Kuomintang Taiwan's main opposition party as parties position themselves for the crucial municipal election. ERA Communications Co., Ltd. (年代網際事業股份有限公司) released comprehensive polling data Sunday (Aug. 18) showing Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) leading KMT contenders with commanding 31.6% support among potential candidates. The survey results underscore the complex multi-party dynamics shaping Taiwan's largest municipal battleground.
The polling reveals stark disparities among potential KMT nominees, with New Taipei Deputy Mayor Liu Ho-jan (劉和然) registering merely 4.2% support if selected as the party's standard-bearer. Democratic Progressive Party Taiwan's ruling party candidates show legislator Su Chiao-hui (蘇巧慧) commanding the field with 21.9% support, significantly ahead of former Secretary-General Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) at 12.2%. Head-to-head matchups demonstrate Lee's electoral strength, with projections showing him defeating Su decisively by 37.7% to 29.2% in direct competition.
Additional polling scenarios reinforce Lee's electoral dominance, showing him defeating Lin Yu-chang by 37.5% to 26.7% in hypothetical matchups. Liu Ho-jan faces considerably weaker prospects, trailing Su Chiao-hui substantially at 24% versus her commanding 35.4% support level. The survey also explored potential KMT-TPP coalition dynamics, revealing Huang Kuo-chang would secure 29.3% against Su's stronger 35.1% and 27.5% compared to Lin's decisive 35% in cross-party alliance scenarios.
ERA Communications conducted the comprehensive survey from Aug. 12-16, interviewing 1,072 New Taipei City residents using stratified random sampling methodology. The polling maintains a 95% confidence level with a plus or minus 3 percentage point margin of error, providing reliable voter preference insights. These findings establish the foundation for an intensely competitive mayoral race as political parties develop strategic approaches for the pivotal 2026 municipal election. ◼
