Chen Shih-kai

At the time of his nomination as the Democratic Progressive Party candidate for the 2013 Taichung by-election, Chen was serving as a Taichung City Councilor.^[1][2] Fellow Taichung councilor Chang Liao Wan-chien [zh] served as Chen's campaign spokesperson.^[3] Chen faced Kuomintang candidate Yen Kuan-heng, the son of former officeholder Yen Ching-piao, in the by-election.^[4] Chen lost by 1,138 votes,^[5] considered a narrow defeat in the Pan-Blue-leaning district.^[6][7] Chen then returned to his position as councilor,^[8] before facing Yen again in the 2016 Taiwanese legislative election,^[9] retaking his council seat after losing to Yen for a second time.^[10][11]

The Taichung City Football Future Development Association supported Chen's 2023 bid to lead the Chinese Taipei Football Association.^[12] Later that year, Chen joined William Lai's presidential campaign as a spokesman.^[13] After Lai won the January 2024 Taiwanese presidential election, Chen was appointed the spokesman of the Executive Yuan, led by Cho Jung-tai.^[14][15] On 29 August 2024, Cho announced that Chen would be replacing acting minister of transportation and communications Chen Yen-po, who had assumed the role after Li Meng-yen resigned.^[16][17]