After returning to his hometown of Rochester, Keith took a job as counsel with the Mayo Clinic, where he worked with future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun.
In 1959, he was elected to the Minnesota State Senate as a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). During his tenure as a state senator, Keith served as a delegate to the 1960 Democratic National Convention. He was Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota under Governor Karl Rolvaag from 1963 until 1967. He challenged Rolvaag for the nomination to be the DFL's candidate for governor in the 1966 general election, but was defeated by Rolvaag in the primary election.
In 1989, Keith began serving as a justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. He became chief justice in 1990 and served in that capacity until 1998.[4][5]
Death
Keith died at his home on October 3, 2020. He was 91 years old, just a month and a half shy of his 92nd birthday.[2]
References
^Klecker, Mara (October 5, 2020). "Former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Sandy Keith dies". Star Tribune. Minneapolis. Alexander MacDonald "Sandy" Keith dedicated his life to public service and is believed to be the first person to work in roles across all three branches of Minnesota government.
^ ab"Sandy"-Keith "A.M. "Sandy" Keith (obituary)". Post-Bulletin. Rochester, Minnesota. October 5, 2020. Sandy was a public man—the only person in Minnesota's history to have served in all three branches of state government.