Hsin Yin Hsin’s Emotional Victory: KMT Primary Upset in Hsinchu County Sees Soong Chu-yu’s Former Running Mate Re-enter the Race

It’s been a rollercoaster few days for KMT supporters in Hsinchu County. The results of the party’s primary for the Hsinchu County Magistrate election were finally announced on the 28th. After a fierce three-day battle involving opinion polls and a final party member vote, Legislator Hsin Yin Hsin narrowly edged out Deputy County Magistrate Chen Chien-hsien. She secured victory with a razor-thin margin of just 1.268 percentage points (50.634% to 49.366%), winning the right to represent the KMT in the年底年底 local election.

A Comeback via the 70/30 Rule: Overturning a Deficit in Party Member Votes

The KMT primary used a 70/30 system, weighting opinion polls at 70% and party member votes at 30%. The process was intensely competitive. In the party member vote held on the 28th, Chen Chien-hsien demonstrated his deep grassroots organisational strength, securing 2,870 votes (56.775%), which was 685 votes more than Hsin Yin Hsin’s 2,185 (43.225%). Just as many began to think Chen had it in the bag, the crucial opinion poll data was released and completely flipped the script. Hsin led across the board in the results from three polling agencies. After weighted calculations, she ultimately overturned the deficit with a total approval rating of 50.634%.

Upon hearing the result, Hsin Yin Hsin could be seen blinking rapidly on stage, her eyes welling up. Eventually, she couldn’t hold back and pulled out a tissue to wipe away her tears. In a choked voice, she said that throughout this period, she had only held onto one sentiment: "humility and gratitude." She thanked the residents who supported her in the telephone polls, thanked the party members who turned out to vote, and paid tribute to her opponent, Chen Chien-hsien. She stressed that the primary was over and that everyone’s goal was the same: the future of Hsinchu County.

"A Party Win Isn’t the Real Win": Hsin Sets Sights on the General Election

After regaining her composure, Hsin Yin Hsin displayed the resilience forged from years in politics. She urged her supporters to celebrate the victory for just one night, emphasising that the real battle would resume tomorrow. She framed the upcoming election as a "formidable challenge," pointing directly at the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, who she argued would wield the full force of state resources, including party machinery, government, online forces, the judiciary, and the media. This statement not only laid out her stark assessment of the race but also quickly helped shift the focus of KMT supporters from the internal friction of the primary to the need for external unity.

Hsin Yin Hsin is no stranger to residents of Hsinchu. Armed with a PhD in civil engineering from National Chiao Tung University and the title of Taiwan’s first female satellite surveying doctor, her political journey has been quite dramatic. She was elected legislator with the highest number of votes nationwide in 2012, left the KMT to form the Republican Party of Taiwan in 2015, and then ran for vice-president alongside Soong Chu-yu in 2016. Though that bid was unsuccessful, it raised her national profile. She rejoined the KMT in 2022 under the "Project Connect" initiative and successfully returned to the Legislative Yuan in 2024. This time, she brings a wealth of campaign experience to her latest challenge for the Hsinchu County Magistrate seat.

Primary Battle Ends, Integration Key for KMT

Of course, the primary process was not without controversy. From Hsin Yin Hsin’s camp pushing the issue of Chen Chien-hsien’s previous criminal record and demanding a background check, to Chen’s camp accusing Hsin of illegally releasing poll data and questioning her dual party membership, both sides clashed fiercely. With the primary result now out and the Hsin Yin Hsin candidate list finalised, the major task ahead is whether the KMT can successfully unify.

After the result was announced, Chen Chien-hsien displayed grace. Despite his significant win in the party member vote, he simply said, "Come on, Kuomintang. Come on, Hsinchu County," marking a temporary end to this intense intra-party competition. As the年底年底 election approaches, whether the KMT can hold onto Hsinchu County – a traditional stronghold for the party – will depend on how Hsin Yin Hsin can unite local factions and channel the energy from the primary’s internal competition into a formidable force for the general election.

• Primary Result: Hsin Yin Hsin narrowly defeated Chen Chien-hsien with 50.634% to 49.366%.
• Turning Point: Despite losing the party member vote, she came back strongly in the opinion polls, which accounted for 70% of the total.
• Hsin’s Response: An emotional victory, stressing "humility and gratitude," and calling for unity against external opponents.
• Chen’s Response: Showed grace, urging "Come on, Kuomintang."

Hsin Yin Hsin will represent the KMT in the年底年底 Hsinchu County Magistrate election. The key question will be whether she can replicate the momentum of her record-breaking legislative run and win back the trust of voters after her political realignments. It will be the major storyline in this "world-class" battle for Hsinchu County.