Chen has been invited to campaign for DPP county magistrate candidates Chang Hwa-kuan in Chiayi, Cheng Wen-tsang in Taoyuan, and Tsao Chi-hung in Pingtung and for mayoral candidate Twu Shiing-jer in Chiayi City.

She will also be visiting Yilan County for a weekend election rally for magistrate candidate Lin Tsong-shyan.

DPP candidates in the past have tended to seek public support from heavyweights like former President Chen Shui-bian, former Vice President Annette Lu, and former premiers Frank Hsieh and Su Tseng-chang, but Chen has emerged from their shadows to become a popular campaign draw.

The Kaohsiung mayor said she hopes she can offer warm support for party comrades during this low period for the DPP and regain voters' confidence in the party.

A survey of Kaohsiung City residents published by the city's Research, Development and Evaluation Commission (RDEC) on Sep. 24 found that 82 percent of those surveyed said they felt proud to be a resident of the southern Taiwan city, and Mayor Chen had a 78 percent approval rating.

RDEC attributed Chen's rising approval rate, which was 10 percent higher than the poll conducted a year ago, to the World Games held in July.

The year-end "three-in-one" elections for mayors and magistrates, city and county councilors, and city and township heads will be held Dec. 5.

As six cities and counties -- Taipei County, Taitung City and County, Tainan City and County, Kaohsiung County -- will be upgraded or merged into municipalities that will not elect new chiefs until late in 2010, this year's elections will be held in only 17 cities and counties.

(By Wang Shwu Fen and Fanny Liu)