Twenty years ago, George LeMieux was a college student working for then Florida Sen. Connie Mack. On Thursday, it was LeMieux prepping for senatorial duty. With his wife and three sons by his side, LeMieux checked out his office in the Senate Russell Building, just an hour before his official swearing-in ceremony on the Senate floor. Almost all traces of former Sen. Mel Martinez — who stepped down
Wednesday — had already been removed from the office. A temporary sign at the door read, "Senator-designate George LeMieux.''
"C'mon boys, this is daddy's new office, this is where daddy's going to sit,'' LeMieux said, ushering the three toddlers into the office. "These desks are 100 years old.''
More than 100 well-wishers from Florida came up for the swearing-in ceremony, to be conducted by Vice President Joe Biden. Mack stopped by to offer his congratulations. "Twenty years ago I worked for this man when he was a United States senator,'' LeMieux told his sons. "I was in college and he was nice enough to give me a job. Started me off.''
LeMieux, 40, will become the youngest senator in the Senate when he is sworn in Thursday. Appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist — who is running for the seat to succeed Martinez — LeMieux will serve just 16 months — until a voters pick a new senator in the 2010 election.
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