He served in the 46th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly and on April 1, 1968, was appointed to the Cabinet by Premier Louis Robichaud as Minister of Economic Development.
On February 11, 1970, he was appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs, serving until November 12 of that year when he was personally reelected in 1970 but when his party lost power.
He led the party to a plurality of the popular votes cast in the 1974 provincial election, but lost in total seats to the governing Progressive Conservative Party of Premier Richard Hatfield who earned strong support from the Acadian community.
Prior to the 1978 election, Higgins staked his reputation and his position as party leader on an assertion that Premier Hatfield was personally involved in a scandal.
After leaving politics, Higgins returned to the practise of law and would be appointed a justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick in Saint John.