Member of the Democratic County Central Committee of Orange County, president of the Santa Ana Democratic Club, and director of the California Democratic Council for the Thirty-fifth Congressional District.
U.S. senator from 1943 to 1955 and 38th district California State Assembly member from 1936 to 1942. Head of the California Senate Factfinding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities ("Tenney Committee") and leader of anti-communist investigations.