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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 (1907–1988), 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 (1907–1988), 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).<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=482631 LA - District 03 Race - Nov 02, 1948]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 18, 2021.</ref> Duhe's margin was similar to that of a previous Republican candidate in the 3rd district, [[David Pipes|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).<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=482631 LA - District 03 Race - Nov 02, 1948]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 18, 2021.</ref> Duhe's margin was similar to that of a previous Republican candidate in the 3rd district, [[David Pipes|David W. Pipes, Jr.]], who contested the position in 1940, when he was defeated by James Domengeaux.

Willis held the congressional seat for ten terms. Through his chairmanship of the House Un-American Activities Committee, he supported anti-communist [[Cold War]] laws, such as the [[McCarran-Walter Act|McCarran-Walter Internal Security Act]] of 1950.<ref name=dict>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-w/|title=Willis Edwin|publisher=Louisiana Historical Association "A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography''|accessdate=August 18, 2021}}</ref> Willis was in effect the last chairman of the HUAC, which was reconstituted as the U.S. House Committee on Internal Security in 1969. During the 1960s, Willis viewed both the [[civil rights movement]] and opposition to the [[Vietnam War]] as reflections of communist influences.<ref>[https://library.louisiana.edu/collections/collection-46 Willis, Edwin E. (1904-1972). Papers, 1949-1969]. ''University of Louisiana''. Retrieved August 18, 2021.</ref> He signed the 1956 [[Southern Manifesto]] in opposition to [[Segregation|desegregation]]. He voted with all eight members at the time from Louisiana against the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]] and the [[Voting Rights Act]] of 1965. He also spoke out against the radicalism of the [[Ku Klux Klan]]<ref name=dict/> and led an investigation against the terrorist group which resulted in the conviction of a Klan leader.<ref>[https://history.house.gov/Collection/Detail/30729 Edwin Edward Willis]. ''Us House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives''. Retrieved August 18, 2021.</ref> The KKK in turn burned effigies of Willis throughout the South.<ref>October 25, 1972. [https://www.nytimes.com/1972/10/25/archives/edwin-willis-68-excongressmkn-louisianian-in-the-house-20-years-eed.html EDWIN WILLIS, 68, EX CONGRESSMAN]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 18, 2021.</ref>

Willis held the congressional seat for ten terms. Through his chairmanship of the House Un-American Activities Committee, he supported anti-communist [[Cold War]] laws, such as the [[McCarran-Walter Act|McCarran-Walter Internal Security Act]] of 1950.<ref name=dict>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-w/|title=Willis Edwin|publisher=Louisiana Historical Association "A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography''|accessdate=August 18, 2021}}</ref> Willis was in effect the last chairman of the HUAC, which was reconstituted as the U.S. House Committee on Internal Security in 1969. During the 1960s, Willis viewed both the [[civil rights movement]] and opposition to the [[Vietnam War]] as reflections of communist influences.<ref>[https://library.louisiana.edu/collections/collection-46 Willis, Edwin E. (1904-1972). Papers, 1949-1969]. ''University of Louisiana''. Retrieved August 18, 2021.</ref> He signed the 1956 [[Southern Manifesto]] in opposition to [[Segregation|desegregation]]. He voted with all eight members at the time from Louisiana against the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]] and the [[Voting Rights Act]] of 1965. He also spoke out against the radicalism of the [[Ku Klux Klan]]<ref name=dict/> and led an investigation against the terrorist group which resulted in the conviction of a Klan leader.<ref>[https://history.house.gov/Collection/Detail/30729 Edwin Edward Willis]. ''Us House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives''. Retrieved August 18, 2021.</ref> The KKK in turn burned effigies of Willis throughout the South.<ref>October 25, 1972. [https://www.nytimes.com/1972/10/25/archives/edwin-willis-68-excongressmkn-louisianian-in-the-house-20-years-eed.html EDWIN WILLIS, 68, EX CONGRESSMAN]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 18, 2021.</ref>

In Congress, Willis sought to secure subsidies for [[sugar]] planters. He successfully sponsored legislation to obtain federal funds for the protective levee in the Morganza Spillway in Pointe Coupee Parish. With his colleagues, he fought for federal royalty payments to the State of Louisiana from tidelands [[petroleum]] revenues.<ref name=dict/>

In Congress, Willis sought to secure subsidies for [[sugar]] planters. He successfully sponsored legislation to obtain federal funds for the protective levee in the Morganza Spillway in Pointe Coupee Parish. With his colleagues, he fought for federal royalty payments to the State of Louisiana from tidelands [[petroleum]] revenues.<ref name=dict/>

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).<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=150043 LA District 3 Race - Nov 08, 1966]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 18, 2021.</ref> 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).<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=150043 LA District 3 Race - Nov 08, 1966]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 18, 2021.</ref> 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.