tate's political career began with an appointment by governor lazarus w. powell to the position of assistant secretary of state for the state of kentucky in 1854. a model democrat, he resigned the post when know-nothing governor charles s. morehead was elected in 1855. four years later, he was appointed to the post again under democratic governor beriah magoffin, and supported the breckinridge wing of kentucky's democratic party during the american civil war. though magoffin resigned in 1862 due to disagreements with the general assembly, tate continued to serve under magoffin's hand-picked successor, james f. robinson, resigning again at the end of robinson's term in 1863. from 1865–7, tate served as assistant clerk to the kentucky house of representatives. at the end of his service in the house, tate successfully ran for state treasurer, a post to which he would be re-elected every two years for the next two decades.