In 1998, when first-term RepublicanState Representative Deborah Tamargo, who had first been elected in a special election the year prior, ran for re-election, Henriquez ran against her in the 58th District. During the campaign, Tamargo sent out controversial campaign literature that asserted that Henriquez could not understand problems like child abuse because he did not have children of his own, to which Henriquez said, "The Lord has not seen fit to bless our marriage with any children yet." " Ultimately, Henriquez defeated Tamargo by a wide margin, winning 56% of the vote to her 44% in one of the few bright spots for the Florida Democratic Party that year. Running for re-election in 2000, he was opposed by Eddy Calcines, a hairdresser and the Republican nominee, and he campaigned on his productivity in the legislature, noting, "Relationships are so important in Tallahassee. So much of what we do is not partisan. If you are into law-making and policy-making, there is not much room for an ideologue." Henriquez did not have a difficult time dispatching Calcines, winning re-election with 62% of the vote. In 2002, Henriquez faced Hector Vila, the Republican nominee and a small business owner who ran in the Republican primary in 2000, but lost. Henriquez campaigned on continuing his emphasis on improving public education, providing assistance to seniors, protecting the environment, increasing economic prosperity, and improving public safety, and argued that his experience made him the best candidate. He defeated Vila in a landslide, winning 63% of the vote to Vila's 37%. When Henriquez ran for his final term in the legislature in 2004, he was opposed by Republican James Riis, whom he defeated in a rout with 70% of the vote. He was not able to seek re-election in 2006 due to term limits.
On April 3, 2008, Bob Butterworth, the former Attorney General of Florida and the Secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families, announced that Henriquez would serve as the circuit administrator for the Department in Pasco and Pinellas Counties. Butterworth praised Henriquez as "a strong local leader whose passion for serving the community made him right for the job," and Henriquez asserted that there was not any room for error on the job, noting, "You can't be 99 percent successful in this agency. You have to be 100 percent successful." Henriquez held the position from 2008 to 2011, when Rick Scott became governor.
Hillsborough County Property Appraiser
In 2012, it emerged that the incumbent Hillsborough County Property Appraiser, Rob Turner, had sent "dozens of pornographic emails" to the human resources director in his office, an ex-girlfriend of his who then filed a sexual harassment claim against him. Henriquez jumped into the race and won the Democratic nomination, as did State SenatorRonda Storms, who challenged Townsend in the Republican primary. Storms defeated Turner decisively in the primary and squared off against Henriquez. As the general election got underway, Henriquez campaigned on his ability to manage the office effectively, saying, "I'm not an appraiser by trade, but I feel like I have the requisite experience to run the office effectively and efficiently," and was able to fundraise his campaign as Storms's campaign momentum stalled. The Tampa Tribune endorsed Henriquez over Storms, praising him for his "appropriate experience and personality for a job in which objectivity and restraint are needed" and his "detailed plans for improving the appraiser's office." During the campaign, Henriquez was criticized for evaluations he received from his time at the Department of Children and Families, where his superior, though praising him for "running an efficient organization," urged him to "instill more of his own management styles and pursue goals for the circuit beyond maintenance of a once-troubled and recovering system of care." Ultimately, Henriquez defeated Storms by a wide margin, winning 52% of the vote to her 43%.
