In 1970, Tucker campaigned for and won the position of prosecuting attorney for the Sixth Judicial District. In 1972, Tucker was elected to the first of his two terms as state attorney general. He held this position from 1973-1977. In 1976, he campaigned and was elected to represent the Second Congressional District. He served from 1977-1979 and was appointed to the House Ways and Means Committee, the Social Security Subcommittee, and the Speaker’s Task Force on Welfare Reform. In 1978, Tucker decided to run for Senate, but lost the election. In April 1979, Tucker was named chairman of President Jimmy Carter’s White House Conferences on families. Following his involvement with this Conference, Tucker returned to private law.
In his personal life, Tucker married Betty Alllen Alworth on November 8, 1975. She had two children from her first marriage and they had two children together. Anna was born in 1976, and Sarah was born in 1982.