Gordon worked with his father's farm equipment business and in 1885 founded a newspaper, The Inter-Lake Tribune.

[1] Gordon was involved in local Republican politics in Browns Valley, serving two terms as postmaster in addition to positions with the village council, school board and local Republican party committee.

In 1911, Gordon was elected as lieutenant governor under Adolph Olson Eberhart.

He also served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1914 to 1916 and was associated with the temperance movement.

He is buried at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.