on june 29, 1934 gage filed to run for the democratic nomination for superintendent of public instruction and defeated five other candidates in the august primary. in the general election he easily defeated katharine a. morton, the republican nominee, in a landslide. in 1936 he went to washington, d.c. to meet with wyoming's congressional delegation seeking to have wyoming's act of admission changed so that 33% of oil royalties could be distributed directly to school districts. in 1937 he and five other state officials had their voices recorded and gage also wrote an essay that were placed into a time capsule which would be opened in 1987. on march 16, 1938 he announced that he would seek reelection, but was narrowly defeated in the general election by republican esther anderson.