Joan B. Hague entered politics as a Republican. She was Warren County Commissioner of Jurors from 1971 to 1978, a delegate to the 1972 Republican National Convention, and a member of the New York State Assembly from 1979 to 1982, sitting in the 183rd and 184th New York State Legislatures. At the 1982 re-apportionment, the area of her residence was joined with a large part of Saratoga County, previously part of the 108th District. She declined to run in a primary against the incumbent assemblyman of the 108th District Robert A. D'Andrea, and in July 1982 announced that she would not seek re-election later that year.