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He briefly resumed his law practice prior to his election to Congress. He defeated incumbent fellow Democrat Phanor Breazeale of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] for re-nomination in 1904 and was seated with the incoming 59th Congress on March 4, 1905, during the administration of [[U.S. President]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]]. In his fourth term, he became the chairman of the House Committee on Revision of the Laws.<ref name=biodirectory>{{cite web|url=https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=W000193|title=Watkins, John Thomas|publisher=''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774- Present''|accessdate=August 31, 2020}}</ref>

He briefly resumed his law practice prior to his election to Congress. He defeated incumbent fellow Democrat Phanor Breazeale of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] for re-nomination in 1904 and was seated with the incoming 59th Congress on March 4, 1905, during the administration of [[U.S. President]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]]. In his fourth term, he became the chairman of the House Committee on Revision of the Laws.<ref name=biodirectory>{{cite web|url=https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=W000193|title=Watkins, John Thomas|publisher=''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774- Present''|accessdate=August 31, 2020}}</ref>

Watkins rarely faced serious opposition in his reelection bids until he was defeated for a ninth term in 1920 by John Nicholas Sandlin (1872-1957), another state district court judge from Minden. In 1908, Watkins defeated two opponents in the [[general election]] by a lopsided margin. He polled 88.2 percent of the ballots compared to 5.5 percent for [[Republican Party|Republican]] John F. Slattery.  W . S. Emmons, the candidate of the [[Socialist Party]] of America, outpolled Slattery, having finished with 6.3 percent of the vote.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections,'' U.S. House of Representatives, 1904–1920.</ref>

Watkins rarely faced serious opposition in his reelection bids until he was defeated for a ninth term in 1920 by John Nicholas Sandlin (1872-1957), another state district court judge from Minden. In 1908, Watkins defeated two opponents in the [[general election]] by a lopsided margin. He polled 88.2 percent of the ballots compared to 5.5 percent for [[Republican Party|Republican]] John F. Slattery.  W . S. Emmons, the candidate of the [[Socialism|Socialist Party]] of America, outpolled Slattery, having finished with 6.3 percent of the vote.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections,'' U.S. House of Representatives, 1904–1920.</ref>

After Watkins surrendered his congressional seat to Sandlin, he practiced law in [[Washington, D.C.]], until his death.<ref name=biodirectory/> Like Watkins, Sandlin would also hold the Fourth District House seat for eight terms.

After Watkins surrendered his congressional seat to Sandlin, he practiced law in [[Washington, D.C.]], until his death.<ref name=biodirectory/> Like Watkins, Sandlin would also hold the Fourth District House seat for eight terms.