Haugen served in the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1879 and 1880. He was the Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner from 1882 until 1887. In 1887, Haugen was elected as a Republican Congressman to the Fiftieth Congress. He was elected as the representative of Wisconsin's 8th congressional district. Haugen was reelected to the Fifty-first, Fifty-second, and Fifty-third Congresses. In his last congressional term, he represented the newly created Wisconsin's 10th congressional district, following redistricting. Overall he served from March 4, 1887 until March 3, 1895. He did not seek renomination in 1894 but was an unsuccessful candidate for the nomination for Governor of Wisconsin.