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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.

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. 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. 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]].

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. 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. 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>{{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>

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.

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). 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.