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In 1939, Morrison helped in the organization of the People’s League of Independent Voters, New Orleans. He represented District 12 in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1940 to 1946,  when he resigned to become mayor, having unseated the [[Huey Long|pro-Long]] Robert Sidney Maestri (1899-1974).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2024 (Orleans Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> He was aligned with the [[Earl Long|anti-Long]] political faction. He served in the [[United States Army]] while officially a state legislator and rose to the rank of first, a colonel. He was a recipient of the [[Bronze Star]], served in [[England]], [[France]], [[Belgium]], and [[Germany]]. In 1944, he won legislative reelection in absentia while in the Army.<ref name=lahist/>

In 1939, Morrison helped in the organization of the People’s League of Independent Voters, New Orleans. He represented District 12 in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1940 to 1946,  when he resigned to become mayor, having unseated the [[Huey Long|pro-Long]] Robert Sidney Maestri (1899-1974).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2024 (Orleans Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> He was aligned with the [[Earl Long|anti-Long]] political faction. He served in the [[United States Army]] while officially a state legislator and rose to the rank of first, a colonel. He was a recipient of the [[Bronze Star]], served in [[England]], [[France]], [[Belgium]], and [[Germany]]. In 1944, he won legislative reelection in absentia while in the Army.<ref name=lahist/>

In 1942, the 30-year-old Morrison wed 21-year-old Corinne Adele Waterman (1921-1959) of New Orleans<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5836036/corinne-adele-morrison|title=Corinne Adele Waterman Morrison|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref> The couple had three children: deLesseps "Toni", Jr. (1944-1996), Corinne Ann Morrison (born 1947), and  John Randolph Waterman "Randy" Morrison (1957-1964). After the war, Morrison remained in the U. S. Army Reserve and attained the rank of major general. He founded the  Crescent City Democratic Association which push him to victory in the 1946 mayoral election. The Crescent City organization sparred with the Long-backed "Old Regulars." Morrison pushed for street construction, improved drainage, creation of city recreation department, a modern civic center complex, completed in 1957 and named for later Mayor Ernest Nathan "Dutch" Morial (1929-1989), the first of New Orleans' string of [[African-American]] mayors. he encouragement of new trade and industry, establishment of municipal office of international relations, implementation of home rule charter that created the current mayor-council form of government and enactment of a comprehensive zoning ordinance. On his watch, Morrison also had police scandals, the spoils system, inadequate planning, and weak leadership during the 1959-1960 public school [[Segregation|desegregation]] crisis.<ref name=lahist/>

After the war, Morrison remained in the U. S. Army Reserve and attained the rank of major general. He founded the  Crescent City Democratic Association which push him to victory in the 1946 mayoral election. The Crescent City organization sparred with the Long-backed "Old Regulars." Morrison pushed for street construction, improved drainage, creation of city recreation department, a modern civic center complex, completed in 1957 and named for later Mayor Ernest Nathan "Dutch" Morial (1929-1989), the first of New Orleans' string of [[African-American]] mayors. he encouragement of new trade and industry, establishment of municipal office of international relations, implementation of home rule charter that created the current mayor-council form of government and enactment of a comprehensive zoning ordinance. On his watch, Morrison also had police scandals, the spoils system, inadequate planning, and weak leadership during the 1959-1960 public school [[Segregation|desegregation]] crisis.<ref name=lahist/>

In 1950, Morrison was named national president of the American Municipal Association. In 1953, he won the  La Guardia Award, named for former [[New York City]] Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. He was a strong supporter of [[John F. Kennedy]] in the 1960 presidential election in which Kennedy easily won the electoral vote in Louisiana over [[Republican Party|Republica]] [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]]. From 1961, wqhen he resigned as mayor4 until he announced again for governor in 1963, he was the United States Ambassador to the Organization of American States, He was a [[Roman Catholic]].<ref name=lahist/>Some speculated this urban Catholic background worked against him the gubernatorial campaigns; not until 1972 did a Catholic, [[Edwin Edwards]], win the governorship. When Morrison ran for mayor, the south Louisiana vote was not as large or as organized as were the voters in north Louisiana, where many parishes since declined in population over the past decades.

In 1950, Morrison was named national president of the American Municipal Association. In 1953, he won the  La Guardia Award, named for former [[New York City]] Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. He was a strong supporter of [[John F. Kennedy]] in the 1960 presidential election in which Kennedy easily won the electoral vote in Louisiana over [[Republican Party|Republica]] [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]]. From 1961, wqhen he resigned as mayor4 until he announced again for governor in 1963, he was the United States Ambassador to the Organization of American States, He was a [[Roman Catholic]].<ref name=lahist/>Some speculated this urban Catholic background worked against him the gubernatorial campaigns; not until 1972 did a Catholic, [[Edwin Edwards]], win the governorship. When Morrison ran for mayor, the south Louisiana vote was not as large or as organized as were the voters in north Louisiana, where many parishes since declined in population over the past decades.