A lawyer from Coffeyville, Kansas, he began his political career as the assistant attorney general to Vern Miller. When Miller announced his candidacy, in 1974, for Kansas Governor, Schneider became the Democratic candidate for attorney general. His win in the November general election made Schneider only the third Democrat to be elected to the office since Kansas became a state. Schneider served only one term and was defeated in the 1978 general election by Republican candidate Bob Stephen. With the loss, Schneider closed out his political career and returned to private life.