[1][3][4][5] Musa, a Democrat, was elected to the Oregon State Senate in 1948, representing Hood River and Wasco counties.

[8][9][10][11] During the 1951 session, Musa sponsored a bill that provided the funds necessary to erect statues of John McLoughlin and Jason Lee in Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol in Washington.

[16][17] However, Musa remained active in politics, serving as chairman of the Jones for Congress Campaign Committee in Hood River and Wasco counties.

However, Musa joined a group of conservative Democrat who with the help of the Republican minority took control of the senate.

[30][31] Midway through the session, the president pro-tem of the senate resigned and Musa was unanimously elected to the post by his colleagues.

[29][32] In the 1963 legislative session, Musa and other conservative Democrats joined the Republican minority once again to control the state senate.

[39] After the session ended, Musa was elected chairman of the joint legislative Emergency Board.

The board provided legislative oversight for state government operation while the legislature was out of session.

Musa created a controversy when, as acting governor, he appointed a Democrat from his district to the state Public Welfare Commission.

As a result, Governor Hatfield called a special session of the legislature to make the cuts necessary to re-balance the budget.

Ten legislative leaders met with the governor prior to the special session to discuss options for balancing the budget.

[46][48] In 1964, Musa ran for re-election and won a fourth term in the state senate.

During the campaign, he highlighted his service in the state senate including his time as acting governor along with his experience resolving complex tax and revenue issues.

[3][4][5][51] After the election, Musa returned to the state senate for the second half of his four-year term, where he participated the 1967 regular session.

[6] After leaving the state Senate, Musa went back to his public accounting practice in The Dalles.