George S. LeMieux | |
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United States Senator from Florida |
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In office September 9, 2009 – January 3, 2011 |
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Appointed by | Charlie Crist |
Preceded by | Mel Martínez |
Succeeded by | Marco Rubio |
Personal details | |
Born |
George Stephen LeMieux May 21, 1969 Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Meike Detassis |
Children | Max Taylor Chase Madeleine |
Alma mater |
Emory University Georgetown University |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
George Stephen LeMieux (/ləˈmjuː/; born May 21, 1969) is an American politician who was a United States Senator from Florida from 2009 to 2011. He is chairman of the Florida-based law firm of Gunster Yoakley & Stewart and was chief of staff to Governor Charlie Crist. He was the Deputy Florida Attorney General and is credited with spearheading Crist's successful campaign for governor. On August 28, 2009, Crist announced he would appoint LeMieux as U.S. Senator to replace Mel Martínez, who weeks earlier had announced he would resign as soon as Crist announced his successor. On April 5, 2011, LeMieux formally announced that he would run against incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson in 2012, but dropped out of the race in June 2012.
LeMieux was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the son of Karen Ann (née Huckestein) and George Harvey 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, served as Chapter President of the Beta Epsilon Chapter of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity 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 focuses his legal practice on resolving business, and governmental disputes, and advising CEOs and C-suite executives on business, law and government from a local, state and national perspective. He continued his practice there for eight years, at which time he left to serve as Florida's Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Staff to the Attorney General's Office where he supervised more than 400 lawyers and 1,300 total staff.