Edward James Gay III (May 5, 1878 – December 1, 1952) was a United States senator from Louisiana.

Born on Union Plantation in Iberville Parish, he attended Pantops Academy (Charlottesville, Virginia), the Lawrenceville School (in New Jersey), and Princeton University, from which he did not graduate.

He had lost his political power base, due to the advent of John M. Parker.

While in the Senate, he was chairman of the Committee on Coast and Insular Survey (Sixty-fifth Congress).

Gay was president of a manufacturing company and of the Lake Long Drainage District in Iberville Parish; he died in New Orleans in 1952.