wˈaɪthɛd bɪɡˈæn hɪz pəlˈɪɾɪkəl kɚɹˈɪɹ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti tˈuː, wˌɛn hiː wʌz ᵻlˈɛktᵻd tə ðɪ ˈaɪdəhˌoʊ hˈaʊs ʌv ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntətˌɪvz.
Whitehead began his political career in 1922, when he was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives.