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Some Republicans criticize Crist's pick for Senate

Photo by CATHERINE DOLINSKI

Gov. Charlie Crist announced today that he is appointing former chief of staff and campaign manager George LeMieux to temporarily replace U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, who is leaving office. Crist is running to replace Martinez in 2010.

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By WILLIAM MARCH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 28, 2009

Updated: 08/28/2009 04:14 pm

Gov. Charlie Crist's decision to name former aide and political strategist George LeMieux to fill the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez was immediately controversial Friday.

Some Republicans, along with Democrats and Crist's opponent in the U.S. Senate primary, said Crist had chosen a candidate for personal loyalty rather than Washington experience or ability to do the job.

But others said LeMieux, a Tallahassee lawyer, will be a capable placeholder. They noted that that Crist, frontrunner to win the seat next year, had simply chosen a candidate likely to enact Crist's own political philosophy.

It's clear that among the nine candidates Crist considered, he chose the one most personally loyal to him, rather than seeking to please the conservative base of his own Republican Party, some of whom are dissatisfied with his moderate issue stances.

Ties to Crist

Nearly all of LeMieux's political and government career has been tied to Crist -- as Crist's chief of staff in the state attorney general's office, in the same position in the governor's office, and as manager of Crist's campaign for governor in 2006.

He has described himself as "a Charlie Crist Republican."

In announcing the appointment Friday, Crist said, "I am very happy for my friend, and I am extremely happy for my state, because I know that George LeMieux will serve as a United States Senator in a way that will make all of us proud."

LeMieux said he would strive to be "a problem solver" in the Senate and will stick to the principle of limited government "like this great governor."

Asked about LeMieux's credentials compared to the other candidates, Crist said, "I wouldn't describe it in terms of competition like that. I would describe it in terms of the great public service that he's given to the people of Florida, how well I know him, and know his desire to serve the people."

Reaction mixed

Some Tampa Bay area Republican Party leaders from the conservative side of the party expressed their displeasure bluntly.

"Obviously what the governor did is what's in the governor's best interest … but I think it's about as far away from his Republican base as he could be," said Debbie Cox-Roush, chairman of the Hillsborough party.

"I believe we had candidates that would have served Florida better in Washington. That's about as diplomatic as I can be."

Cox-Roush and other leaders of the party organizations in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties had backed former U.S. Rep. Mike Bilirakis of Palm Harbor for the appointment.

Rubio, who's appealing to conservatives in his challenge to Crist in the GOP Senate primary, called the appointment "disappointing."

"George is a talented political operative and the governor's best friend, but that doesn't make him the right choice to represent Florida in the Senate," he said.

But Crist backer and party activist Ho Brown of Tampa said LeMieux "will do OK. He's knowledgeable about the bureaucratic process, he's a sharp guy. He'll make the moderate conservative decisions."

And at least one Democrat – U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, a long-time friend of Crist – praised the choice, calling LeMieux "a man of great integrity and intelligence" who "clearly has the background and knowledge to represent Florida well," and "will make an excellent Senator."

University of South Florida political scientist Darryl Paulson, a Crist backer, said he would have preferred a candidate with Washington experience, but that Crist was in a difficult situation.

LeMieux "will be the 100th senator, with little power except as a caretaker," Paulson said. "It may put Florida at something of a disadvantage."

But, he said, "Mel Martinez put the governor in a terrible position of trying to find somebody to fill a 15-month vacancy in the position for which he himself is running," he said. "Any governor would want someone whose political ideas mirror his own."

At least two candidates widely respected in the party turned down the job – former U.S. Sen. Connie Mack, Crist's political mentor, and U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Palm Harbor.

Florida's other U.S. senator, Democrat Bill Nelson, said in a statement, "I intend to have a good personal and bipartisan relationship with the new senator, as I have had with Mel Martinez."

Democratic Party leaders panned the pick.

State party Chair Karen Thurman called it "a glaring example of political cronyism" and said LeMieux "has made millions over the past several years selling access to Crist to the highest bidders among Tallahassee's special interests."

LeMieux's impact

One of Crist's criteria for the job as that the candidate had to promise not to seek re-election to the seat in 2010 – competing against Crist himself. LeMieux is a reliable choice in that regard. "My time in Washington will be brief," he said as Crist made the announcement this morning.

But it also raises a possible scenario that's common in such cases. If Crist wins the seat in the 2010 election, LeMieux could resign early, allowing Crist to take the office early and gain an advantage in seniority over other freshman senators.

LeMieux, 40, a Florida native and long-time Broward County resident who now lives in Tallahassee, is chairman of the Gunster, Yoakley law firm. He's married and has three young sons.

A graduate of Emory University and Georgetown University law school, LeMieux was active in Republican politics in Broward, a Democratic fortress. He lost a state House race in 1998, but became chairman of the county party in 2000.

In 2003, Crist, then state attorney general, made him a deputy attorney general and chief of staff. He first became well-known statewide as the campaign manager considered instrumental in Crist's 2006 winning race for governor.

"Some campaigns have an architect, this campaign had a Maestro," Crist said.

In the primary, Crist fended off a challenge from former Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, who sought support from conservatives in the party.

During the general election, LeMieux famously tangled with Karl Rove, top political consultant for President George Bush, when Crist declined to appear at a campaign rally with Bush in Pensacola just before the election.

Asked whether Crist had made a bad decision by skipping the appearance, Rove scoffed, "Go ask George LeMieux." After Crist won, staffers had the quote printed on T-shirts.

Early in his term as governor, with LeMieux running his office, Crist sought to re-orient the state Republican Party from the conservative approach of the Bush brothers.

While working for Crist, LeMieux was credited with arranging Crist's proposal for the state to buy huge tracts of Everglades land from U.S. Sugar, a deal still in the process of being worked through.

Since leaving, he has represented the governor's office in another major political and business deal, the attempt to reach an agreement on casino gambling with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which it is hoped will bring the state a large revenue infusion.

Reporter Catherine Dolinski contributed to this report. Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761.

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