George LeMieux
Encyclopedia
George Stephen LeMieux (ləˈmjuː; born May 21, 1969) is a former United States Senator from Florida
. He was Chairman of the Florida-based law firm of Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, P.A. and served as Chief of Staff to Governor Charlie Crist
, was former Deputy Florida Attorney General
, and is credited with spearheading Crist's successful campaign for Governor. On August 28, 2009, Governor Crist announced that he would appoint LeMieux as senator, to replace Senator Mel Martinez
, who weeks earlier announced he would resign as soon as Crist announced his successor. On April 5, LeMieux formally announced that he will run against incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson
in 2012
.
to George and Karen LeMieux, a building contractor and secretary to the company. He grew up in Coral Springs, Florida
, and graduated in 1987 from Coral Springs High School
. He enrolled at Emory University
, where he majored in political science and graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa in 1991. He was Senior Orator that year. He went on to earn his J.D.
cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center
in 1994. He interned for Congressman E. Clay Shaw, Jr. and U.S. Senator Connie Mack III
. In 1994, he joined the law firm of Gunster Yoakley & Stewart P.A. in its Fort Lauderdale office. LeMieux is an AV-rated attorney, and is board certified in business litigation. He continued his practice there for eight years, at which time he left to work in Tallahassee with the Republican Party
.
and is credited with being the “maestro” of Crist's campaign for Governor. His friendship with Crist began in the 1990s when Crist was a state senator from St. Petersburg and LeMieux was working to expand the role of the Republican Party in Broward County, which is strongly Democratic.
In 1998, LeMieux ran for the state House, pitted against four-term incumbent Democrat Tracy Stafford
. According to the St. Petersburg Times
, during the campaign, he went to more than 10,000 doors in a district drawn to protect a Democrat
. He campaigned for better health insurance, leaner bureaucracy and smaller class sizes. "I remember sitting in classrooms in Broward County with 40 kids in them", the St. Petersburg Times quoted him as saying. He also backed a $100 limit on the amount of money out-of-state companies could give to Florida
candidates as a way of allowing working people to have a bigger impact in the system. Ultimately, he lost the race, but became head of the Republican Party in Broward County.
In 2002, Crist, then attorney general, asked LeMieux to be his chief of staff
in the Attorney General’s office, and LeMieux left the firm of Gunster Yoakley to take the position. In 2006 LeMieux was chief of staff for Crist’s campaign for governor, and the Republican team defeated rival Tom Gallagher
by 32 points to win the GOP nomination. After winning the nomination, LeMieux, as campaign chief of staff, hired staff members and shaped Crist's message and made key strategic moves. He is credited with demanding lecterns for the second TV debate with Democratic opponent Jim Davis
instead of a conference table, and also for deciding that Crist would not accompany President Bush on the day before the election. When asked why Crist was not attending the President's visit to Florida, Karl Rove
responded "just ask George LeMieux". He also advised Crist regarding the selection of Jeff Kottkamp
as a running mate. Crist defeated Davis, and political writers and Crist himself have called LeMieux the “maestro” of the campaign. While in public service, LeMieux assembled a long list of successes, including managing more than 400 lawyers as Deputy Attorney General, leading the compact negotiations with the Seminole Tribe of Florida
as Chief of Staff to the Governor, and overseeing all aspects of the Executive Office of the Governor including the Governor’s legislative agenda, policy initiatives and the management of the agencies that report to the Governor. In 2004 he argued on behalf of the State of Florida in the United States Supreme Court in the case of Florida v. Nixon, where he obtained a unanimous reversal of a decision of the Supreme Court of Florida. Shortly before leaving public office, he took on the role as Governor Crist’s liaison to the Council of 100, a non-partisan group of high-powered business leaders, noting that Crist wanted him to work with the council to find ways of helping businesses.
during their push for a $1.3 billion rate hike in 2010.
. Since then, LeMieux is campaigning on a platform of fiscal responsibility.
, offering analysis and commentary on key legal, business and political issues that impact the state’s economy and business community. The report is sent out to a list of corporate movers and shakers on a weekly basis and is also posted at http://www.thelemieuxreport.com.
He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1994 and was board certified in business litigation in 2004. Other court admissions include the United States Supreme Court, United States District Court - Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida; the United States Court of Appeals-Eleventh and Federal Circuits.
Re-election campaign, Republican nominee for the Florida House of Representatives
– District 92, and served on the City of Fort Lauderdale Beach Redevelopment Advisory Board. He has been a director for Goodwill of Broward County, as well as Riverwalk, Inc., and a trustee for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. In 2002 he was named one of the 50 Most Powerful People in Broward County by Gold Coast Magazine, and 20 People on the Fast Track by Fast Track Magazine. LeMieux received the prestigious "Pollie" award from the American Association of Political Consultants as the nation's "MVP" in a Republican campaign for 2006. LeMieux served as the Executive Director of the Crist/Kottkamp transition team, and went to lead the Executive Office of the Governor as the Governor's Chief of Staff in 2007.
On Thursday, May 13, 2010, the Senate adopted an amendment to the then-pending Financial Regulatory Reform that was authored by LeMieux and Senator Maria Cantwell
of Washington. An editorial in the Wall Street Journal applauded the LeMieux amendment saying its reforms would "destroy the government-created ratings cartel" and that "Mr. LeMieux wants institutions to do some actual due diligence on the assets they hold instead of simply complying with the law by holding assets with a high rating from S&P."
LeMieux was involved in the high-profile blockage of President Barack Obama's nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Brazil
, Thomas Shannon
, who has since been confirmed.
During his time in the Senate, LeMieux was recognized for his record on pro-business and tax reform. He has received several awards including a 93% rating from the National Taxpayer Union and the “Spirit of Enterprise” award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Former Senator LeMieux has sat at the candy desk
.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He was Chairman of the Florida-based law firm of Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, P.A. and served as Chief of Staff to Governor Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. is an American politician who was the 44th Governor of Florida. Prior to his election as governor, Crist previously served as Florida State Senator, Education Commissioner, and Attorney General...
, was former Deputy Florida Attorney General
Florida Attorney General
The Florida Attorney General is an elected cabinet official in the U.S. state of Florida. The attorney general serves as the chief legal officer of the state....
, and is credited with spearheading Crist's successful campaign for Governor. On August 28, 2009, Governor Crist announced that he would appoint LeMieux as senator, to replace Senator Mel Martinez
Mel Martinez
Melquíades Rafael Martínez Ruiz, usually known as Mel Martinez , is a former United States Senator from Florida and served as Chairman of the Republican Party from November 2006 until October 19, 2007, the first Latino to serve as chairman of a major party...
, who weeks earlier announced he would resign as soon as Crist announced his successor. On April 5, LeMieux formally announced that he will run against incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson
Bill Nelson
Clarence William "Bill" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from the state of Florida and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former U.S. Representative and former Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida...
in 2012
United States Senate elections, 2012
Elections to the United States Senate are to be held on November 6, 2012, with 33 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested in regular elections whose winners will serve six-year terms from January 3, 2013 until January 3, 2019. Additionally, special elections may be held to fill vacancies...
.
Early life and education
LeMieux was born in Fort Lauderdale, FloridaFort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
to George and Karen LeMieux, a building contractor and secretary to the company. He grew up in Coral Springs, Florida
Coral Springs, Florida
Coral Springs, officially chartered July 10, 1963, is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States, approximately northwest of Fort Lauderdale. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a population of 121,096...
, and graduated in 1987 from Coral Springs High School
Coral Springs High School
Coral Springs High School is a public secondary school located in Coral Springs, Florida. It is a part of the Broward County Public Schools district. The school has a population of 2233 as of November 2010....
. He enrolled at Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
, where he majored in political science and graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa in 1991. He was Senior Orator that year. He went on to earn his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
in 1994. He interned for Congressman E. Clay Shaw, Jr. and U.S. Senator Connie Mack III
Connie Mack III
Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy III , popularly known as Connie Mack, is a former Republican politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida from 1983 to 1989 and then as a Senator from 1989 to 2001. He served as chairman of the Senate Republican...
. In 1994, he joined the law firm of Gunster Yoakley & Stewart P.A. in its Fort Lauderdale office. LeMieux is an AV-rated attorney, and is board certified in business litigation. He continued his practice there for eight years, at which time he left to work in Tallahassee with the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
Public service career
LeMieux worked closely with Charlie CristCharlie Crist
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. is an American politician who was the 44th Governor of Florida. Prior to his election as governor, Crist previously served as Florida State Senator, Education Commissioner, and Attorney General...
and is credited with being the “maestro” of Crist's campaign for Governor. His friendship with Crist began in the 1990s when Crist was a state senator from St. Petersburg and LeMieux was working to expand the role of the Republican Party in Broward County, which is strongly Democratic.
In 1998, LeMieux ran for the state House, pitted against four-term incumbent Democrat Tracy Stafford
Tracy Stafford
Tracy Stafford served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1990-2000. He currently lives in Wilton Manors, Florida, where he also served as Mayor from 1986-1990.- Family :...
. According to the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
, during the campaign, he went to more than 10,000 doors in a district drawn to protect a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. He campaigned for better health insurance, leaner bureaucracy and smaller class sizes. "I remember sitting in classrooms in Broward County with 40 kids in them", the St. Petersburg Times quoted him as saying. He also backed a $100 limit on the amount of money out-of-state companies could give to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
candidates as a way of allowing working people to have a bigger impact in the system. Ultimately, he lost the race, but became head of the Republican Party in Broward County.
In 2002, Crist, then attorney general, asked LeMieux to be his chief of staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
in the Attorney General’s office, and LeMieux left the firm of Gunster Yoakley to take the position. In 2006 LeMieux was chief of staff for Crist’s campaign for governor, and the Republican team defeated rival Tom Gallagher
Tom Gallagher
Tom Gallagher is an American politician from the U.S. state of Florida and a member of the Republican Party. Gallagher, a three-time candidate for Governor of Florida, holds the distinction of having served more years as an elected state official than any other individual in Florida history.-Early...
by 32 points to win the GOP nomination. After winning the nomination, LeMieux, as campaign chief of staff, hired staff members and shaped Crist's message and made key strategic moves. He is credited with demanding lecterns for the second TV debate with Democratic opponent Jim Davis
Jim Davis (politician)
James Oscar "Jim" Davis III is an American politician from the U.S. state of Florida. He is a Democrat and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2007, representing Florida's 11th congressional district...
instead of a conference table, and also for deciding that Crist would not accompany President Bush on the day before the election. When asked why Crist was not attending the President's visit to Florida, Karl Rove
Karl Rove
Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
responded "just ask George LeMieux". He also advised Crist regarding the selection of Jeff Kottkamp
Jeff Kottkamp
Jeffrey "Jeff" Kottkamp is an American politician from Florida, and served as the state's 17th Lieutenant Governor, from 2007 to 2011....
as a running mate. Crist defeated Davis, and political writers and Crist himself have called LeMieux the “maestro” of the campaign. While in public service, LeMieux assembled a long list of successes, including managing more than 400 lawyers as Deputy Attorney General, leading the compact negotiations with the Seminole Tribe of Florida
Seminole Tribe of Florida
The Seminole Tribe of Florida is a federally recognized Seminole tribe based in the U.S. state of Florida. Together with the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, it is one of three federally recognized Seminole entities...
as Chief of Staff to the Governor, and overseeing all aspects of the Executive Office of the Governor including the Governor’s legislative agenda, policy initiatives and the management of the agencies that report to the Governor. In 2004 he argued on behalf of the State of Florida in the United States Supreme Court in the case of Florida v. Nixon, where he obtained a unanimous reversal of a decision of the Supreme Court of Florida. Shortly before leaving public office, he took on the role as Governor Crist’s liaison to the Council of 100, a non-partisan group of high-powered business leaders, noting that Crist wanted him to work with the council to find ways of helping businesses.
Returning to the private sector
In January 2008, LeMieux returned to the law firm of Gunster Yoakley, residing in both its Fort Lauderdale office and its newer Tallahassee office. Within three months of rejoining, LeMieux was named Chairman of the firm. LeMieux worked as a lobbyist for Florida Power & LightFlorida Power & Light
Florida Power & Light Company, the principal subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc. , commonly referred to by its initials, FPL, is a Juno Beach, Florida-based power utility which serves roughly 4.4 million customers in Florida. FPL Group holds power generation assets in more than 20 U.S...
during their push for a $1.3 billion rate hike in 2010.
2012 United States Senate election
On April 15, 2011, LeMieux announced his candidacy for the United States Senate seat held by Bill NelsonBill Nelson
Clarence William "Bill" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from the state of Florida and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former U.S. Representative and former Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida...
. Since then, LeMieux is campaigning on a platform of fiscal responsibility.
The LeMieux Report
In February 2008, LeMieux launched The LeMieux Report, an electronic newsletter in text form and video courtesy of YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, offering analysis and commentary on key legal, business and political issues that impact the state’s economy and business community. The report is sent out to a list of corporate movers and shakers on a weekly basis and is also posted at http://www.thelemieuxreport.com.
"Our goal is to examine the hottest issues of the week that impact Florida business ... [A]s the Governor's Chief of Staff I briefed him every day on the most important issues facing Florida. Now I can share that analysis with Florida's leaders."LeMieux said he will be able to help readers navigate through important and sometimes complex issues, offering clarity and context. He added "Business executives are busy people. They don’t have the time to sift through all of the information that inundates today's professional to determine what is most important to their interests. The LeMieux Report boils it down and gives them the information they need in a format that’s easy to digest."
He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1994 and was board certified in business litigation in 2004. Other court admissions include the United States Supreme Court, United States District Court - Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida; the United States Court of Appeals-Eleventh and Federal Circuits.
Affiliations
Among his civic and charitable commitments, LeMieux was the Chairman of the Broward County Republican Party, Chairman of the Jeb BushJeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
Re-election campaign, Republican nominee for the Florida House of Representatives
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
– District 92, and served on the City of Fort Lauderdale Beach Redevelopment Advisory Board. He has been a director for Goodwill of Broward County, as well as Riverwalk, Inc., and a trustee for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. In 2002 he was named one of the 50 Most Powerful People in Broward County by Gold Coast Magazine, and 20 People on the Fast Track by Fast Track Magazine. LeMieux received the prestigious "Pollie" award from the American Association of Political Consultants as the nation's "MVP" in a Republican campaign for 2006. LeMieux served as the Executive Director of the Crist/Kottkamp transition team, and went to lead the Executive Office of the Governor as the Governor's Chief of Staff in 2007.
Senate career
Senator LeMieux proposed “the 2007 Solution,” a plan to eliminate the deficit by 2013 and cut the national public debt nearly in half by 2020.On Thursday, May 13, 2010, the Senate adopted an amendment to the then-pending Financial Regulatory Reform that was authored by LeMieux and Senator Maria Cantwell
Maria Cantwell
Maria E. Cantwell is the junior United States Senator from the state of Washington and a member of the Democratic Party....
of Washington. An editorial in the Wall Street Journal applauded the LeMieux amendment saying its reforms would "destroy the government-created ratings cartel" and that "Mr. LeMieux wants institutions to do some actual due diligence on the assets they hold instead of simply complying with the law by holding assets with a high rating from S&P."
LeMieux was involved in the high-profile blockage of President Barack Obama's nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Brazil
United States Ambassador to Brazil
The following is a list of Ambassadors of the United States, or other chiefs of mission, to Brazil. The title given by the United States State Department to this position is currently Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.-See also:...
, Thomas Shannon
Thomas A. Shannon, Jr.
Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. is an American diplomat. President Barack Obama nominated him as U.S. Ambassador to Brazil. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 24, 2009...
, who has since been confirmed.
During his time in the Senate, LeMieux was recognized for his record on pro-business and tax reform. He has received several awards including a 93% rating from the National Taxpayer Union and the “Spirit of Enterprise” award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Former Senator LeMieux has sat at the candy desk
Candy desk
The candy desk is a tradition of the United States Senate established in 1968, according to the Senate Historical Office. The desk, located on the Republican side of the Senate chamber, was first stocked with candy and treats by Senator George Murphy. Those entrusted with the candy desk have...
.