Lai Jui-lung holds a strong lead in trader consensus for the November 28, 2026, Kaohsiung mayoral election as the Democratic Progressive Party nominee succeeding popular incumbent Chen Chi-mai. The market assigns Ko Chih-en, the Kuomintang challenger making her second bid, a distant second-place position. Both candidates have focused recent campaigning on AI industry growth, with Lai highlighting the city's power surplus and Asia New Bay Area advantages while Ko emphasizes parks, drones, and university-business links. They have also agreed to a televised debate and traded positions on infrastructure, Hakka outreach, and local projects. The pricing reflects the DPP's structural edge in the city alongside limited signs of momentum shifts for the KMT in recent weeks.