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Rogers established with Charlton Durant his law practice in Manning in Clarendon County, from which he served for six two-year terms in the state House. He was the vice-chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and served as well on the Education and Public Works committees. On three occasions, he was a member of the Conference Committee on the State Budget. Rogers also served as vice chairman of the South Carolina School Committee, often called the Gressette Committee, named for long-term legislator Lawrence Marion Gressette (1902-1984). The fifteen-member committee was appointed by the governor to seek legal means to avoid forced racial [[Segregation|integration]] of public schools. Marion Gressette said in retrospect in 1984 that the "real accomplishment" of the committee was the "prevention of violence such as occurred in some other southern states." Rogers was also a member of the Reapportionment Study Committee and the House-Senate conference committee on reapportionment of the state Senate.<ref name=rogerspapers/>

Rogers established with Charlton Durant his law practice in Manning in Clarendon County, from which he served for six two-year terms in the state House. He was the vice-chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and served as well on the Education and Public Works committees. On three occasions, he was a member of the Conference Committee on the State Budget. Rogers also served as vice chairman of the South Carolina School Committee, often called the Gressette Committee, named for long-term legislator Lawrence Marion Gressette (1902-1984). The fifteen-member committee was appointed by the governor to seek legal means to avoid forced racial [[Segregation|integration]] of public schools. Marion Gressette said in retrospect in 1984 that the "real accomplishment" of the committee was the "prevention of violence such as occurred in some other southern states." Rogers was also a member of the Reapportionment Study Committee and the House-Senate conference committee on reapportionment of the state Senate.<ref name=rogerspapers/>

When the state government proposed to move its Alcoholic Rehabilitation Center to the Vocational Rehabilitation Department to qualify for federal funds, Rogers led a floor fight that stopped the transfer. Rogers told ''The State'' [[newspaper]] in Columbia that such a move was contrary to ethical principles.<ref>''[[The State (newspaper)|The State]]'', September 25, 1966</ref>

When the state government proposed to move its Alcoholic Rehabilitation Center to the Vocational Rehabilitation Department to qualify for federal funds, Rogers led a floor fight that stopped the transfer. Rogers told ''The State'' [[newspaper]] in Columbia that such a move was contrary to ethical principles.<ref>''The Columbia State'' ([[newspaper]]), September 25, 1966.</ref>

Rogers did not seek reelection to the state House in 1966. On March 7, he announced that he was joining the Republican Party, and later that month he was chosen in convention as the [[Republican Party|GOP]] nominee to oppose Governor McNair in the general election. Rogers' platform stressed local control of  public schools and resistance to federal encroachment into the affairs of state government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://library.sc.edu/scpc/rogers.html|title=Joseph O. Rogers, Jr. (1921-1999)|publisher=library.sc.edu|accessdate=May 3, 2014}}</ref> Rogers explained his philosophy regarding federal orders to [[Segregation|desegregate]] public schools:

Rogers did not seek reelection to the state House in 1966. On March 7, he announced that he was joining the Republican Party, and later that month he was chosen in convention as the [[Republican Party|GOP]] nominee to oppose Governor McNair in the general election. Rogers' platform stressed local control of  public schools and resistance to federal encroachment into the affairs of state government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://library.sc.edu/scpc/rogers.html|title=Joseph O. Rogers, Jr. (1921-1999)|publisher=library.sc.edu|accessdate=May 3, 2014}}</ref> Rogers explained his philosophy regarding federal orders to [[Segregation|desegregate]] public schools: