A native son is guaranteed to be elected to serve the 58th state House District in Tampa.
By DONG-PHUONG NGUYEN, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 31, 2002
Residents of the 58th state House District will choose from two men with roots deeply entrenched in Tampa.
Both were born and raised here, and both think they know what their constituents need.
The men sought the same seat two years ago, but never faced each other. Challenger Hector Vila lost in the Republican primary.
Democratic incumbent Bob Henriquez went on to win a second consecutive term and is seeking a third.
With no party opposition for either candidate in September, Vila and Henriquez are looking forward to their run at representing the mostly working-class district.
Henriquez, nicknamed "coach," attended Tampa schools, graduating from Tampa Catholic High School before going to Princeton University. His great-grandfather was the last mayor of West Tampa.
The project manager wants to serve another two years so he can continue his focus on education, the elderly, the environment, economic development and public safety.
He is counting on experience to send him back to Tallahassee.
"There will be no learning curve," Henriquez said. "I can hit the ground running."
But Vila says a shortage of political experience is what makes him better suited for the job.
"I'm not a professional politician," Vila said. "That already makes me more experienced."
Vila comes from a family of 14 children. All seven sons served in the military.
Born in poverty but now living in comfort, Vila said he wants to raise teacher pay and help small businesses thrive.
Vila and his wife have owned and operated a number of small business ventures and know the struggle owners face in providing health and retirement benefits for employees.
"I want to help my community," Vila said.
The 58th state House District represents West Tampa, parts of Town 'N Country and parts of East Tampa. House members serve two-year terms and are paid $29,328 a year.
HECTOR VILA, 71, is making his second run for the 58th state House District seat. The retired Anheuser Busch supervisor also is a former restaurant owner, travel consultant and event planner. He also is a Marine Corps combat veteran, having serving in the Korean War. He and his wife have run various catering and restaurant businesses, including Hector's Sandwich Shop and Event Coordinating by Mr. and Mrs. V. He volunteers at St. Joseph's Hospital and is active in Hillsborough County Right to Life, the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce minority vendors program and the Hillsborough County lake watch program. Born in Tampa, Vila graduated from Jefferson High School in 1955 and attended the University of Tampa. He is married and has two grown children. ASSETS: home, car, stocks, savings, time share LIABILITIES: none SOURCE OF INCOME: social security, part-time travel agent job WEB SITE: www.hectorvila.com
BOB HENRIQUEZ, 38, was first elected in 1998 and is seeking a third consecutive term. He is now a project planner for URS Corp., an engineering firm, and vice chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. He worked on the Gore campaign in 2000 and the Clinton/Gore campaign in 1996. His great-grandfather was the last mayor of West Tampa, and a cousin served as a state senator in the 1960s and '70s. Henriquez has won numerous awards for his leadership and work in the education arena. He was head coach of the Tampa Catholic High School football team for almost 10 years. He now is an assistant coach at Jefferson High School. Born and raised in Tampa, Henriquez graduated from Tampa Catholic in 1982. He earned a degree in political science in 1986 from Princeton University. He is married. ASSETS: home, boat, vehicles LIABILITIES: mortgage, boat and auto loans SOURCE OF INCOME: state salary and project planning work E-MAIL: vote4coach@hotmail.com