Changes

| name=Edwin Edward Willis

| name=Edwin Edward Willis

| image=Edwin Willis of LA.jpg

| image=Edwin Willis of LA.jpg

| office=[[U.S. Representative]] for Louisiana]]'s 3rd congressional district

| office=[[U.S. Representative]] for<br>[[Louisiana]]'s 3rd congressional district

| term_start=January 3, 1949

| term_start=January 3, 1949

| term_end=January 3, 1969

| term_end=January 3, 1969

'''Edwin Edward Willis''' (October 2, 1904 &ndash; October 24, 1972) was an [[Americans|American]] [[attorney]] and [[politician]]  from his native state of  [[Louisiana]] who was affiliated with the [[Earl Long|Long]] political faction. A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], he served in the state Senate in 1948 and thereafter represented Louisiana's 3rd congressional district from 1949 to 1969. Willis served as the last chairman of the since disbanded  [[House Un-American Activities Committee]], which sought to expose [[Communism|communist]] infiltration of the U.S. government.

'''Edwin Edward Willis''' (October 2, 1904 &ndash; October 24, 1972) was an [[Americans|American]] [[attorney]] and [[politician]]  from his native state of  [[Louisiana]] who was affiliated with the [[Earl Long|Long]] political faction. A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], he served in the state Senate in 1948 and thereafter represented Louisiana's 3rd congressional district from 1949 to 1969. Willis served as the last chairman of the since disbanded  [[House Un-American Activities Committee]], which sought to expose [[Communism|communist]] infiltration of the U.S. government.

Willis was born in Arnaudville in St. Landry Parish, the eleventh of twelve children of Olanda Willis and the former Julia Hardy. He graduated from St. Martinville High School in St. Martin Parish. In 1926, Willis obtained credentials from the [[law]] school of Loyola University ([[New Orleans]]. He began his law practice in New Orleans and also owned and operated a [[plantation]] in St. Martin Parish near [[Lafayette]].   

Willis was born in Arnaudville in St. Landry Parish, the eleventh of twelve children of Olanda Willis and the former Julia Hardy. He graduated from St. Martinville High School in St. Martin Parish. In 1926, Willis obtained credentials from the [[law]] school of Loyola University ([[New Orleans]]. He began his law practice in New Orleans and also owned and operated a [[plantation]] in St. Martin Parish near [[Lafayette]].   

He was elected to the Louisiana state Senate in 1948 but served only a few months because he later in the same year won election to Congress to succeed James R. Domengeaux, who left the House to run unsuccessfully for the [[United States Senate]] against fellow Democrat [[Russell Long]].

 

Willis was elected to the Louisiana state Senate in 1948 but served only a few months because he later in the same year won election to Congress to succeed James R. Domengeaux, who left the House to run unsuccessfully for the [[United States Senate]] against fellow Democrat [[Russell Long]].

In November 1948, Willis faced [[Republican Party|Republican]] opposition from a wealthy New Iberia businessman. Jean (pronounced JOHN) Paulin Duhe (1885-1961), who was the president of the New Iberia National Bank, head of the Duhe-Bourgeois Sugar Company, president of the Edmundson-Duhe [[rice]] mill, third vice-president of the American Sugar Cane League, and the president of the St. Martin-Iberia-St. Mary Flood Control Association. Willis defeated Duhe, 26,587 votes (66.6 percent) to 13,337 ballots (33.4 percent). Duhe's margin was similar to that of a previous Republican candidate in the 3rd district, [[David W. Pipes, Jr.]], who contested the position in 1940, when he was defeated by James Domengeaux.

In November 1948, Willis faced [[Republican Party|Republican]] opposition from a wealthy New Iberia businessman. Jean (pronounced JOHN) Paulin Duhe (1885-1961), who was the president of the New Iberia National Bank, head of the Duhe-Bourgeois Sugar Company, president of the Edmundson-Duhe [[rice]] mill, third vice-president of the American Sugar Cane League, and the president of the St. Martin-Iberia-St. Mary Flood Control Association. Willis defeated Duhe, 26,587 votes (66.6 percent) to 13,337 ballots (33.4 percent). Duhe's margin was similar to that of a previous Republican candidate in the 3rd district, [[David W. Pipes, Jr.]], who contested the position in 1940, when he was defeated by James Domengeaux.

In 1966, though he had suffered a series of strokes, Willis still defeated Lafayette oilman [[Hall M. Lyons|Hall McCord Lyons]], one of the two sons of then Republican state chairman and former [[Governor|gubernatorial]] nominee [[Charlton Lyons|Charlton Havard Lyons, Sr.]], of [[Shreveport]]. Willis received 46,533 votes (59.7 percent) to Lyons' 31,444 (40.3 percent). Lyons, who ran on a staunchly [[conservative]] platform, carried Iberia Parish with 51.4 percent of the vote and received 46 percent in [[Lafayette|Lafayette Parish]]. Hall Lyons later left the Republican Party and was the [[American Independent Party]] nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1972. In retrospect, 1966 was a warning to Willis about his electoral future.

In 1966, though he had suffered a series of strokes, Willis still defeated Lafayette oilman [[Hall M. Lyons|Hall McCord Lyons]], one of the two sons of then Republican state chairman and former [[Governor|gubernatorial]] nominee [[Charlton Lyons|Charlton Havard Lyons, Sr.]], of [[Shreveport]]. Willis received 46,533 votes (59.7 percent) to Lyons' 31,444 (40.3 percent). Lyons, who ran on a staunchly [[conservative]] platform, carried Iberia Parish with 51.4 percent of the vote and received 46 percent in [[Lafayette|Lafayette Parish]]. Hall Lyons later left the Republican Party and was the [[American Independent Party]] nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1972. In retrospect, 1966 was a warning to Willis about his electoral future.

Willis supported [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] and [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Hubert Humphrey]] in the 1964 and 1968 campaigns. He compiled a generally [[liberal]] voting record in Congress according to Louisiana standards. In 1968, he was denied renomination by a conservative Democrat, Patrick Thomson "Pat" Caffery, Sr. (1932-2013). Willis' health problems may have contributed to his defeat. Caffery won the [[general election]] and held the seat until January 1973, when he was succeeded by Republican leader [[David C. Treen]] of [[suburb]]an Jefferson Parish. Caffery did not seek a third term in 1972.

Willis supported [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] and [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Hubert Humphrey]] in the 1964 and 1968, but his state

 

s [[electoral vote]]s were cast for [[Barry Goldwater]] and [[George Wallace]], respectively. Willis compiled a generally [[liberal]] voting record in Congress according to Louisiana standards at the time. In 1968, he was denied re-nomination by a more conservative Democrat, Patrick Thomson "Pat" Caffery, Sr. (1932-2013). Willis' health problems may have contributed to his defeat. Caffery won the [[general election]] and held the seat until January 1973, when he was succeeded by Republican leader [[David C. Treen]] of [[suburb]]an Jefferson Parish. Caffery did not seek a third term in 1972.

Willis married the former Estelle Bulliard on December 9, 1929. They had a son, Bobby Willis.

Edwin Willis died in St. Martinville and is interred there with his wife in St. Michael's Cemetery, which is owned by the St. Martin de Tours [[Catholic Church]].

Edwin Willis died in St. Martinville and is interred there with his wife in St. Michael's Cemetery, which is owned by the St. Martin de Tours [[Catholic Church]].