Laurel Lee

Laurel Frances Lee is a Republican politician and attorney serving as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 15th congressional district. Born at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, she was raised in a military family and later attended the University of Florida, where she earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees. Lee began her legal career in private practice at Carlton Fields before transitioning to public service as a law clerk and eventually as an Assistant Federal Public Defender and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. As a federal prosecutor, she focused on cases involving white-collar crime, violent crime, and the protection of children from sexual exploitation. Lee's judicial and executive experience includes serving as a Circuit Court Judge in Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit from 2013 to 2019, having been appointed by then-Governor Rick Scott. In 2019, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed her as Florida's 36th Secretary of State. In this role, she oversaw the state's elections, focusing on strengthening election infrastructure and cybersecurity defenses. She resigned as Secretary of State in May 2022 to run for Congress and was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2022, assuming office on January 3, 2023. In the 118th Congress, Representative Lee serves on the House Judiciary, Homeland Security, and House Administration Committees. Her legislative work has included efforts to modernize digital evidence handling in law enforcement and initiatives to protect the national electric grid from cyber and physical threats. She is recognized for her background in law enforcement and election administration, which informs her committee assignments and legislative priorities.

Representative Lee maintains a platform centered on border security, economic growth, and government accountability. She advocates for stricter border enforcement to address human trafficking and the influx of fentanyl, drawing on her experience as a federal prosecutor. On economic issues, Lee supports reducing federal spending, limiting government overreach, and fostering job growth. She has also emphasized the importance of energy independence and has sponsored bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting the nation's energy grid from various threats. In the realm of healthcare, she has supported measures intended to lower premiums through market-based competition. Additionally, as a former Secretary of State, she is a vocal proponent of election integrity and security, advocating for robust infrastructure to ensure accurate and secure voting processes. Lee also supports proactive resilience measures for Florida to adapt to the impacts of major storms and flooding.