In 1932, Blatt was elected to the
South Carolina House of Representatives from
Barnwell County. Blatt's exceptional political skills were proven by his colleagues unanimously choosing him as the speaker pro tempore of the body in 1935. Two years later in 1937, Blatt ran for the
speakership against L. Caston Wannamaker of
Chesterfield County. Governor
Olin D. Johnston opposed Blatt's bid and actively supported Wannamaker, but Blatt received the backing of the powerful men of the so-called "
Barnwell Ring." Blatt won a narrow victory and became speaker after just four years of service.
Strom Thurmond campaigned for
governor in 1946 on a platform of reform and against ring rule. All across the state, reform candidates for the legislature challenged the incumbent conservative politicians. Blatt faced a Democratic primary challenge from two Barnwell men and he narrowly eked out a win in the first primary. However, Blatt realized that the political climate had shifted and he announced in August 1946 that he would not seek re-election as speaker of the house. Blatt's fervent support of
James F. Byrnes in the
1950 gubernatorial election and his extraordinary political acumen led to his re-election as speaker in 1951. For the next 22 years, Blatt served as speaker and in 1973 the legislature honored him by making him Speaker Emeritus. Blatt was a staunch
segregationist, and was one of the primary leaders of South Carolina's efforts against integration. Later in his life and career Blatt’s views on race relations evolved, and upon his retirement he stated that he was proud to live in a state where ‘no longer a man's religious views, political affiliations or the color of his skin can in any way prevent him from walking the road of life to a distance far beyond that which he expected in the years gone by...’ Blatt also voted in March 1974 to designate January 15 as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. ==Personal life==