Hsu Hsin-ying Fights Back Tears in Stunning Comeback! KMT Primary in Hsinchu County Sees a Twist as Soong Chu-yu’s Former Running Mate Vies Again for County Magistrate

It’s been a real rollercoaster ride for KMT supporters in Hsinchu County over the past few days! The results of the party’s county magistrate primary were finally announced on the 28th, capping an intense contest between Legislator Hsu Hsin-ying and Deputy County Magistrate Chen Chien-hsien. After three days of public opinion polls and the final party member vote, Hsu Hsin-ying emerged victorious by a hair’s breadth, securing 50.634% of the total support against Chen’s 49.366%—a margin of just 1.268 percentage points. She will now represent the KMT in the year-end election for Hsinchu County magistrate.

A 70-30 Rule Comeback: Trailing in Party Member Vote, She Flipped It in the Polls

This KMT primary used a "70% opinion poll, 30% party member vote" formula, and the race was nothing short of fierce. In the party member vote held on the 28th, Chen Chien-hsien demonstrated his deep grassroots organisational strength, securing 2,870 votes—a 56.775% share—compared to Hsu’s 2,185 votes (43.225%). That gave him a lead of 685 votes. Just when observers thought Chen had the upper hand, the crucial opinion poll results were released, completely flipping the script. Hsu outperformed him across all three polling agencies, and after the weighted calculations, she clinched the nomination with a total support of 50.634%.

The moment the outcome was confirmed, Hsu, visibly emotional on stage, blinked rapidly with teary eyes before finally reaching for a tissue to wipe away her tears. Her voice breaking, she said she had only five words on her mind throughout this period: "humility and gratitude." She thanked the residents who supported her over the phone polls and the party members who came out to vote, and also extended her regards to her opponent, Chen Chien-hsien, stressing that the primary is over and their shared goal is Hsinchu County’s future.

"Winning Within the Party Isn’t the Real Win": Hsu Sets Her Sights on the General Election

After regaining her composure, Hsu Hsin-ying demonstrated the resilience she’s built over her years in politics. She told her supporters they should celebrate tonight’s win, but only for tonight—tomorrow, it’s back to the campaign trail because the real test is just beginning. She went on to describe the upcoming election battle as a "boss level," directly pointing to her opponent: the DPP candidate, whom she framed as backed by the full force of state resources, including the party, administration, cyber troops, judiciary, and media. Her remarks not only revealed her realistic assessment of the race but also quickly shifted the mood among KMT supporters from the internal strife of the primary to a posture of external unity.

Of course, Hsu Hsin-ying is no stranger to residents of Hsinchu County. Armed with a PhD in civil engineering from National Chiao Tung University and the distinction of being Taiwan’s first female PhD in satellite geodesy, her political journey has been quite dramatic. In 2012, she was elected legislator with the highest vote count nationwide. In 2015, she left the KMT to form the Minkuotang (Republican Party) and famously ran as James Soong’s vice-presidential pick in 2016. Though that campaign was unsuccessful, it boosted her national profile considerably. She returned to the KMT in 2022 through the "Same Boat" project and made a successful return to the Legislative Yuan in 2024. Now, she’s drawing on her extensive campaign experience for another shot at the Hsinchu County magistrate seat.

A Contentious Primary Ends, Now the Key is Uniting the Party

Of course, the primary race was not without its share of controversy. From Hsu’s camp zeroing in on Chen’s past record under a correctional education system, demanding a "no-criminal-record" review, to Chen’s camp counter-accusing Hsu of violating the election law by releasing poll data, and even questioning her dual-party membership—both sides were locked in fierce exchanges, unwilling to back down. With the primary results finalised, the Hsu Hsin-ying candidate roster is now official, and the big question moving forward is whether the KMT can successfully unite its forces.

Chen Chien-hsien showed grace after the results were announced. Despite his decisive win in the party member vote, he simply offered a message of "Go Kuomintang, go Hsinchu County," drawing a temporary line under this intense intra-party contest. As the year-end election approaches, whether the KMT can hold onto Hsinchu County—a traditional stronghold where blue support has historically outweighed green—will depend on how Hsu Hsin-ying consolidates local factions and channels the energy spent on the primary into strength for the battle ahead.

• Primary Result: Hsu Hsin-ying narrowly defeats Chen Chien-hsien with 50.634% to 49.366%.
• Turning Point: Despite losing the party member vote, a reversal occurred in the opinion polls, which accounted for 70% of the total.
• Hsu’s Reaction: Overcome with emotion, she stressed "humility and gratitude" and called for unity.
• Chen’s Response: Showed class, calling on everyone to "Go Kuomintang."

In the year-end election for Hsinchu County magistrate, Hsu Hsin-ying will carry the blue camp’s banner. Whether she can recapture the momentum that made her the top nationwide vote-getter and once again win over voters after navigating multiple party switches will be the central storyline in what’s being called a "world-class" contest for Hsinchu County.