Prince Hulon Preston Jr. began his career as a practicing lawyer in Georgia, gaining admission to the state bar in 1930. He transitioned into public service, serving in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1935 to 1938. During World War II, he enlisted in the United States Army, rising to the rank of captain by the time of his discharge in 1945. Preston Jr. then pursued a career in federal politics, winning a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 1946. Throughout his tenure, he held significant roles on the Appropriations Committee and chaired the Subcommittee on Department of Commerce and Related Agencies, demonstrating expertise in governmental funding and administration.

Prince Hulon Preston Jr.'s political identity is marked by a strategic blend of fiscal conservatism and regional protectionism, despite his segregationist views. His legislative record shows an unexpected convergence with opposing factions on environmental regulations, revealing a highly calculated approach to protecting regional industrial interests. His rhetorical style tends to avoid grandstanding on civil rights issues, focusing instead on localized economic and administrative concerns. This juxtaposition of fiscal agility with rigid social conservatism presents an intriguing conceptual tension in his political philosophy.