Watkins earned his Associate of Arts from Paducah Community College (now the West Kentucky Community and Technical College), and his Bachelor of Science in business administration and Master of Business Administration from Murray State University.
1992 Initially in District 4, Watkins ran in the three-way May 26, 1992 Democratic Primary but lost to Frank Rasche.
2012 Redistricted to District 3, with Representative David Housman leaving the Legislature, Watkins was unopposed for the May 22, 2012 Democratic Primary and won the November 6, 2012 General election with 9,349 votes (593%) against Republican nominee Jason Crockett. 1998 When Representative Kathy Hogancamp ran for Kentucky Senate and left the seat open, Watkins ran in the three-way 1998 Democratic Primary, but lost to Michael Cherry, who went on to win the November 3, 1998 General election against Republican nominee Sandra Furjanic.
