Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te used the ruling DPP's 40th anniversary to rally supporters ahead of November's local elections, framing the vote as a test of Taiwan's will to resist pressure from China — a positive for the DPP's base but a sign of how heated the campaign is getting.

• Lai said the party's founders had the courage to face an authoritarian regime, and today's generation must have the will to face a great power and protect Taiwan's sovereignty.
• He urged voters to turn out like they did in the 2004 "Hand-in-Hand" rally, pointing to growing Chinese pressure and constant chaos in the legislature.
• The DPP is running 21 candidates for mayor and county chief, including three recruited from outside the party, and Lai is personally running the campaign in key races like Yunlin and Taipei.
• Taipei candidate Puma Shen says he's narrowed the gap with Mayor Chiang Wan-an to single digits, but party insiders worry the energy is not translating into ground-level votes.
• The same week, Lai oversaw a live missile drill in Pingtung while a Chinese drone hovered offshore, and a man was jailed for posting a gun video threatening the president.

Outlook: With two months to go, the elections in New Taipei and Kaohsiung are seen as make-or-break for the DPP's momentum heading into the 2028 presidential race.