[5] Kent served as an officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry in action at Guadalcanal before leaving the service in 1945 at the rank of commander.
[5] Following World War II, Kent made two unsuccessful runs for Congress as a Democrat in 1948 and 1950.
Kent subsequently alternated between vice-chairman and chairman of the California Democratic Party every two years between 1954 and 1965.
[6] Kent was especially close to Hubert Humphrey and Adlai Stevenson, both of whom he hosted during fundraising and political visits to California during the Eisenhower Administration.
[7][3] Kent served as chairman of Pat Brown's successful 1962 reelection campaign against Richard Nixon.