KMT's Tainan mayoral nominee waves 'prop handgun' during rally

Tainan, Dec. 25 (CNA) Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介), the Kuomintang (KMT) nominee for the 2026 Tainan mayoral election, was presented with a "prop handgun" that he proceeded to brandish during a campaign event on Thursday.

Hsieh, who was selected as the party's mayoral pick on Wednesday, was speaking at a year-end event for KMT military veterans when deputy party chairman Chi Lin-lien (季麟連) pulled out the gun, to the apparent shock of others on stage.

Chi, a retired general in the ROC Marine Corps, told Hsieh that the handgun was "the latest model" from a Marine Corps manufacturing facility, and presented it to him with wishes for a "resounding victory" with "full firepower."

Chi added that he had wanted to bring a rifle, but that it would have been "inconvenient" to take on the High Speed Rail.

A KMT official later assured reporters that the handgun was a "toy" and intended for use as a "prop."

During his speech, nevertheless, Hsieh waved the gun as he pledged to crack down on "black gold" (political corruption and underworld politics) and "official-business collusion," and to strengthen public security.

He said that after years of Tainan being run by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), many people wanted "change," which he pledged to deliver within one four-year term, United Daily News reported.

Hsieh previously ran for Tainan mayor in 2022, gaining 43.63 percent of the vote in a loss to DPP incumbent Huang Wei-cher (黃偉哲), who received 48.80 percent. He was then elected to the Legislature in 2024 on the KMT party list.

With Huang set to leave office after two terms, the DPP has yet to name its nominee for 2026.

Taiwan's next local elections are scheduled to take place on Nov. 28, 2026.