President Lai Ching-te persuades Yeh Jen-Chuang to run for Puli mayor

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has secured a candidate for the Puli Township mayoral election after President and party Chairman Lai Ching-te successfully persuaded former Nantou County Councilor Yeh Jen-Chuang to run. The party had been anxious about the lack of a candidate in one of Nantou County's four major townships.

Lai Ching-te personally met with Yeh, stressing the significance of the Puli mayoral race. Yeh, who has been referred to as a "desperate third son" for his energetic approach during his time as a county councilor, has agreed to contest the election. He stated that the President "attaches great importance to this battle for Puli mayor, and I will go all out!"

Yeh recently resigned from his position as general manager of the Taiwan Small and Medium Enterprise United Assistance Foundation, a role he took up in October 2024. During his tenure, he traveled extensively to industrial parks across Taiwan and engaged frequently with small and medium-sized enterprises, gathering valuable insights. He believes his nearly two years of experience will provide him with fresh ideas for local development.

Having submitted his resignation at the end of the month, Yeh plans to return to Puli and fully dedicate himself to the campaign. Although he acknowledges starting later than the opposing camp's candidates, he emphasizes that he has remained connected to the local community, with his family residing in Puli. The DPP's Nantou County branch is expected to formally nominate Yeh and Chang Yuan-ting for the Caotun Township mayoralty in an upcoming meeting.