 In 1854, Crawford was elected as a Democrat to the 34th United States Congress to represent Georgia's 2nd congressional district.He was reelected to two additional terms in the seat (35th and 36th Congresses), and his congressional service spanned from March 4, 1855, until his resignation on January 23, 1861, with Georgia having seceded the Union on January 22.After resigning the U.S. Congress, Crawford was elected to the Confederate Provisional Congress, serving from January 1861 to February 22, 1862.