[6][7][8] Chen, backed by the Kuomintang,[9] ran for the legislature again in the Taoyuan County by-election of 2010, losing to Huang Jen-shu [zh] by approximately 3,000 votes.

In 2014, Chen was suspended from the Kuomintang for casting a vote against the Land Administration Agent Act.

[16][17] His party's presidential candidate, Eric Chu, was not successful and subsequently resigned the KMT chairmanship.

[18][19] On 22 February, Chen submitted a petition of 24,179 signatures to the party committee responsible for overseeing elections.

[22] In March 2018, the Kuomintang announced that Chen had defeated Lu Ming-che and Yang Li-huan [zh] in a primary held to decide the party's candidate in the Taoyuan mayoral election.