Hays was a staunch and active Republican. His strict, conservative upbringing made him an attractive figure for the party. He did not smoke or drink, was a brilliant speaker and excelled at public relations. Before he was 21, he was elected precinct committeeman. From 1904 to 1908, while still practicing law with his father, he served as chairman of the Republican Committee of Sullivan County. During this same period, he also was a member of the Republican State Advisory Committee. From 1906 to 1908, Hays served as chairman of the speakers' bureau of the Republican State Committee.
Hays found satisfaction in his growing political activities and community responsibilities. In 1910 he became a state district chairman for the Republican Party, a position he held until 1914. He was also elected city attorney for Sullivan County in 1910 and served in that post through 1913. He soon began to stretch his political power from local committees to statewide activity. From 1914 through 1918 he was chairman of the Republican State Central Committee in Indiana. In 1917, when the United States entered World War I, Hays became chairman of the Indiana State Council of Defense, a post he held until 1918.
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