 Young served as a lawyer for Nueces County, Texas in various positions, as assistant county attorney in 1946, assistant district attorney from 1947 to 1950, county attorney from 1951 to 1952 and county judge from 1953 to 1956.He ran successfully as a Democrat for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1956, defeating incumbent John J.Bell in the primary election and winning the general election.