George LeMieux

George LeMieux

George S. LeMieux (born May 21, 1969 in Fort Lauderdale , Florida ) is an American lawyer and politician ( Republican Party ) who represented the state of Florida in the US Senate from September 2009 to January 2011 . He was the appointed successor to the resigned Senator Mel Martínez and the youngest member of the Senate at the time.

Career in Florida

George LeMieux was born in Fort Lauderdale and raised in Coral Springs , where he attended high school and graduated in 1987. He then earned a degree in political science at Emory University , reaching 1991 graduated magna cum laude . In 1994 he earned the Juris Doctor at Georgetown University ; here he graduated cum laude . He subsequently completed internships with Congressman E. Clay Shaw and US Senator Connie Mack . Also in 1994 he was inducted into the Florida Bar Association and joined a law firm in Fort Lauderdale.

During this time LeMieux began to get involved in the Republican Party. He tried to increase their influence in the democratically dominated Broward County . In 1998 he applied for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives , campaigning for a better health insurance system and smaller class groups in schools. Ultimately, he lost the election to Democratic incumbent Tracy Stafford , but established himself as the leading Republican leader in his county. During this time he also made friends with the later Governor Charlie Crist , who was then a member of the State Senate .

In 2002, Crist, who has since become Attorney General of Florida, offered LeMieux the post of Chief of Staff, whereupon LeMieux quit his legal practice. From 2003 to 2005 he was Deputy Attorney General. In 2006 LeMieux then led Crist's campaign in the ultimately successful election as governor. The crucial tactical decisions to defeat Jim Davis are attributed to him; so he convinced Crist not to meet with US President George W. Bush , who was visiting Florida at the time , the day before the election . The election of Jeff Kottkamp for the post of lieutenant governor also went back to LeMieux. He was later referred to by political commentators as the "maestro" of Crist's campaign.

In 2007, LeMieux initially held the post of Chief of Staff to Governor Crist. Among other things, he negotiated a contract with the Seminole tribe ; He also served as Crist's liaison to the Council of 100 , a non-partisan grouping of influential business people. In January 2008 he returned to the private sector. He returned to the law firm Gunster Yoakley & Stewart , where he was promoted to chairman of the company within three months.

US Senator

In early August 2009, US Senator Mel Martínez announced that he would resign his mandate within a short period of time. On August 28, Governor Crist then nominated his former colleague LeMieux as his successor, which led to critical comments in both political camps. The Democratic Party of Florida spoke of "nepotism", the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives from Florida, Marco Rubio , described the appointment of LeMieux as "disappointing". The background was the upcoming official election for this Senate seat in November 2010, in which George LeMieux no longer wanted to run.

George LeMieux was a member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee and the Commerce Committee .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ St. Petersburg Times: In Crist's camp, he was 'the maestro'
2. ^ Wall Street Journal: Charlie Crist Lite

Web links

• Official website at the Senate
• George LeMieux in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)