Sorrell first ran for political office in 1938 when he sought to represent the second legislative district in the Nebraska Legislature. He was successful at winning the seat, ousting the incumbent, Robert McDowell Armstrong, by over 1,000 votes.[4] Sorrell was then reelected to the Nebraska Legislature three times, serving eight years in total from 1939 to 1947.[2][5]
In 1946, after Nebraska Governor Dwight Griswold decided to run for US Senate, Sorrell sought the governorship of Nebraska. He won the Democratic primary but lost the general election to Val Peterson.[6] Sorrell challenged Peterson again in 1948 to be Nebraska governor after winning an uncontested primary but lost again.[7]
Sorrell tried once again to run for governor of Nebraska by attempting to unseat Republican incumbent governor Victor E. Anderson in the 1956 Nebraska gubernatorial election but lost once again, though he captured the highest vote share of any of his three campaigns for governor.[3] In 1958, Sorrell sought the office of Nebraska Lieutenant Governor, running against incumbent lieutenant governor Dwight W. Burney.[3] Although the race was very close, Sorrell was ultimately unsuccessful in this race as well.[3] Since Ralph G. Brooks defeated Anderson for governor in the election of 1958, some speculated that if Sorrell had run for governor, he may have been elected.[3] Furthermore, if he had been successful in winning the lieutenant governorship, he would have also become governor due to the death of Brooks before the expiration of his term.
In 1959, Democratic Nebraska governor Ralph G. Brooks appointed Sorrell to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, but Nebraska governor Frank B. Morrison fired Sorrell from the commission in 1962 due to an allegation that Sorrell had violated state law in acting on behalf of two liquor licensees who came before the commission.[8][5] Sorrell fought his dismissal but was ultimately ordered by a court to vacate the office.[3]
In 1964, Sorrell once again sought a seat in the Nebraska Legislature.[5][8] He advanced to the general election after winning one of the top two spots in the primary,[9] but he died just over two months before the general election.[3]
