He was involved in local politics in Svolvær from 1945 to 1947 and 1951 to 1963. He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Nordland in 1954, and was re-elected on six occasions. From August to September 1963 he was Minister of Defence during the short-lived centre-right cabinet Lyng.
While he held this position Moy Herborg Regina Nordahl took his seat in parliament.
He was later Norwegian Minister of Transport from 1965 to 1971 during the cabinet Borten. His seat was filled by Bodil Aakre, Leif Kolflaath and Andreas Grimsø alternately.
Outside politics he had a career in the Norwegian Armed Forces, rising to the rank of captain in 1944 and major in 1945–1954.