Opinion Piece: Shen Po-yang – The Outsider in the Taipei Mayoral Election

As August begins, a comprehensive look at the current political landscape shows that Shen Po-yang has become an 'outsider' in the Taipei mayoral election. Although Shen has been active in events since returning from the U.S. and has mocked Chiang Wan-an as 'unreasonable' on talk shows, media coverage, click-through rates, and online buzz have significantly declined compared to when he first announced his candidacy. This is evident from the number of discussion threads about Shen Po-yang on platforms like Threads (Cui), PTT's Gossiping board, and Politics Blackboard.

Recalling when Shen first announced his run, the level of discussion was extremely high—especially on Threads (Cui), where every word and action of Shen's was praised by 'Blue Bird' supporters. A simple hairstyle change earned him the label 'handsome,' and every policy proposal was hailed as if he were Zhuge Liang reincarnated. While opponents heavily mocked this, at least there was momentum; society was genuinely interested in discussing him.

However, the situation has now changed. Shen Po-yang's presence on Threads (Cui) has drastically diminished. Although the green camp's volume of criticism against Chiang Wan-an has not decreased (it would be unnatural if they stopped criticizing Chiang, given his involvement in so many political topics over the past month), these critiques and examinations of Chiang are no longer directly linked to Shen Po-yang. The intense anti-Chiang sentiments are rarely based on Shen's statements but are instead purely individual attacks.

Shen Po-yang's current position is less that of a rival to Chiang Wan-an's mayoral seat and more akin to 'a relatively well-known netizen among those who criticize Chiang.' If he makes a particularly witty remark, he might gain some exposure—but that's about it. Society no longer expects Shen to win; with long-standing poll gaps and his week-long absence from Taipei's governance during his U.S. trip, what exactly can Taipei citizens expect from Shen Po-yang?

At this point, Shen's fans will surely be angry. So the author poses a counter-question to these fans: 'Can you recall any of Shen Po-yang's policy proposals?' The author confidently asserts that most of Shen's supporters are drawn to his stance on 'resisting China and protecting Taiwan' and leading mass recalls. Nearly all support stems from hatred toward the Blue-White alliance and Taipei residents—how could they remember any positive municipal policy?

Whether you like or dislike Chiang Wan-an, support or oppose Shen Po-yang, one reality must be faced: Shen Po-yang can no longer constrain Chiang Wan-an or exert any pressure on him or his team. Clearly, the DPP has already recognized this, leading to the current awkward situation where green net armies 'focus solely on blackening Chiang, with no time to deify Shen Po-yang.'

In short, since the 'toxic oil scandal' emerged, the DPP has no bandwidth left to care about Shen Po-yang's campaign. In the upcoming year-end election, Shen Po-yang's fate is no longer about whether he will win or lose—but rather, how badly he will lose.