George LeMieux Bio
George Stephen LeMieux (born May 21, 1969) is an American attorney and former politician who served as a United States Senator from Florida from 2009 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist to replace Mel Martínez, who resigned from the seat mid-term. Beyond his time in the Senate, LeMieux is widely recognized as chairman of the Florida-based law firm Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart.
LeMieux built his public career in Florida government, serving as Deputy Florida Attorney General and as Chief of Staff to Governor Crist. He is credited with leading Crist’s successful campaign for governor and later chaired the LeMieux Center for Public Policy at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Over the course of his career, he has been recognized with awards from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Association of Political Consultants.
Early Life and Background
George Stephen LeMieux was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the son of Karen Ann Huckestein and George Harvey LeMieux, a building contractor. He grew up in nearby Coral Springs and graduated from Coral Springs High School in 1987. The family’s roots in South Florida shaped his early interest in local business and civic affairs.
LeMieux enrolled at Emory University, where he majored in political science, served as Chapter President of the Beta Epsilon chapter of Delta Tau Delta, and graduated magna cum laude with Phi Beta Kappa membership in 1991. He was named Senior Orator of his graduating class. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1994, and was admitted to the Florida Bar that same year.
During his college years, LeMieux gained hands-on exposure to politics by interning for Congressman E. Clay Shaw Jr. and U.S. Senator Connie Mack III. Those internships introduced him to federal legislative work and helped him build relationships that would later support his public service career. He joined the law firm of Gunster Yoakley & Stewart P.A. in Fort Lauderdale in 1994, where he focused on business litigation and governmental disputes.
Path to US Politics
LeMieux’s entry into partisan politics came in the late 1990s, when he worked to expand the role of the Republican Party in Broward County, a strongly Democratic region. In 1998, he ran for the Florida House of Representatives in District 92 against four-term Democratic incumbent Tracy Stafford. During the campaign, he knocked on more than 10,000 doors, advocating for better health insurance, leaner bureaucracy, smaller class sizes, and a $100 limit on contributions from out-of-state companies.
Although he lost that race, LeMieux became head of the Republican Party in Broward County and later served as chairman of Jeb Bush’s re-election campaign. In 2002, he was named one of the 50 Most Powerful People in Broward County by Gold Coast Magazine. His growing profile in state politics caught the attention of Charlie Crist, then Florida’s Attorney General, who asked LeMieux to serve as his chief of staff in 2003.
LeMieux’s political ascent continued when he managed Crist’s 2006 campaign for governor, helping shape the candidate’s message and key strategic decisions. The campaign defeated rival Tom Gallagher by 32 points in the Republican primary and went on to defeat Democrat Jim Davis. When Crist was inaugurated governor in January 2007, LeMieux became his Chief of Staff and led the Executive Office of the Governor.
George LeMieux Career
Early Career (1994–2006)
After law school, LeMieux spent eight years in private practice at Gunster Yoakley & Stewart in Fort Lauderdale, where he was admitted to multiple federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court. He became AV-rated and board certified in business litigation in 2004, advising CEOs and C-suite executives on business, law, and government matters.
In 2002, he accepted a position as Deputy Florida Attorney General and Chief of Staff in the Attorney General’s office, where he supervised more than 400 lawyers and 1,300 total staff. He also served as the Republican nominee for the Florida House of Representatives – District 92 and chaired the Broward County Republican Party during this period.
Florida Attorney General and Governor’s Office (2003–2008)
As Deputy Attorney General, LeMieux led compact negotiations with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and managed major legal and policy matters for the state. He was later named executive director of the Crist/Kottkamp transition team before becoming Chief of Staff to Governor Crist in 2007. In that role, he supervised the Governor’s legislative agenda, policy initiatives, and the agencies reporting to the Governor.
U.S. Senate (2009–2011)
Governor Crist appointed LeMieux to the United States Senate in 2009 to replace Mel Martínez, who had resigned. During his tenure, LeMieux proposed “the 2007 Solution,” a plan to eliminate the federal deficit by 2013 and cut the national public debt nearly in half by 2020. He also authored a Senate amendment to the 2010 Financial Regulatory Reform, co-sponsored with Senator Maria Cantwell, that drew praise from the Wall Street Journal for targeting the government-created ratings cartel.
LeMieux was involved in the high-profile blockage of President Barack Obama’s nominee for United States Ambassador to Brazil, Thomas A. Shannon Jr., who was eventually confirmed. He was recognized during his time in office for his pro-business and tax reform record, earning a 93% rating from the National Taxpayers Union and the “Spirit of Enterprise” award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As Crist prepared to run for the seat himself, LeMieux did not seek election to a full term in 2010.
Return to Private Practice and Public Engagement (2008–Present)
In January 2008, LeMieux returned to Gunster Yoakley as a lawyer in both the Fort Lauderdale and Tallahassee offices, and within three months he was named chairman of the firm. In February 2008, he launched The LeMieux Report, a weekly electronic newsletter offering analysis on legal, business, and political issues affecting Florida’s economy.
2012 United States Senate Campaign
On April 15, 2011, LeMieux launched his candidacy for the United States Senate seat held by Bill Nelson. He campaigned on a platform of fiscal responsibility but withdrew from the race on June 20, 2012. He subsequently endorsed Republican Representative Connie Mack IV.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of LeMieux’s career came in 2006, when he was honored with the “Pollie” award from the American Association of Political Consultants as the nation’s “MVP” in a Republican campaign for his work on Crist’s gubernatorial victory. His appointment to the U.S. Senate in 2009 and his subsequent “2007 Solution” budget proposal also marked signature achievements that shaped his reputation as a fiscal conservative.
George LeMieux Career Wins
George LeMieux’s career is marked by a series of notable political and civic achievements, including leadership of a winning gubernatorial campaign, a U.S. Senate appointment, and the founding of a public policy center. He has also been recognized with awards from leading national organizations for his contributions to Republican politics and pro-business policy work.
U.S. Senate and Public Service Highlights
LeMieux’s most prominent win was his 2009 appointment to the United States Senate, where he served until 2011 and earned recognition for his work on fiscal and regulatory reform. His leadership of Charlie Crist’s 2006 gubernatorial campaign is widely regarded as one of his signature political achievements, helping Crist secure the Republican nomination by 32 points before winning the general election.
Other Wins & Achievements
LeMieux has received the “Pollie” award (2006), the “Spirit of Enterprise” award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and a 93% rating from the National Taxpayers Union. He also founded the LeMieux Center for Public Policy at Palm Beach Atlantic University in 2012, an institution dedicated to engaging students with state and national leaders on public policy issues.
George LeMieux Family
Family Background and Political Lineage
George Stephen LeMieux was born into a South Florida family headed by his father, George Harvey LeMieux, a building contractor, and his mother, Karen Ann Huckestein. He grew up in Coral Springs alongside siblings and extended family, in a household that valued civic engagement and local business. His early exposure to Florida’s coastal communities helped shape his lifelong interest in the state’s economy and public policy.
Personal Life
LeMieux has three sons, George, Taylor, and Chase, and one daughter, Madeleine. He is an attorney by training and has built his professional life in Florida, where he leads the law firm Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart as chairman. Beyond his legal and political work, he has served on civic boards including Goodwill of Broward County, Riverwalk, Inc., and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce.