Les Miller (Florida politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Les Miller
Member of the Hillsborough County Commission from the 3rd district
In office 2011–2021
Preceded by	Kevin White
Succeeded by	Gwen Myers
Minority Leader of the Florida Senate
In office November 3, 2004 – November 7, 2006
Preceded by	Ron Klein
Succeeded by	Steven Geller
Member of the Florida Senate from the district
In office November 7, 2000 – November 7, 2006
Preceded by	Jim Hargrett
Succeeded by	Arthenia Joyner
Constituency	21st district (2000–2002) 18th district (2002–2006)
Minority Leader of the Florida House of Representatives
In office November 3, 1998 – November 7, 2000
Preceded by	Buzz Ritchie
Succeeded by	Lois Frankel
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 59th district
In office November 3, 1992 – November 7, 2000
Preceded by	Brian Rush
Succeeded by	Arthenia Joyner
Personal details
Born	(1951-04-21) April 21, 1951 (age 74) Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Gwendolyn M. "Gwen" Martin
Children	Le'Jean M. Miller, Lesley J. Miller III
Education	University of South Florida (B.A.)

Lesley J. Miller Jr., born on April 21, 1951, is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He has served as a Hillsborough County Commissioner for the 3rd District since 2010. Before this, Mr. Miller was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1992 to 2000. He also served in the Florida Senate from 2000 to 2006. In 2006, he ran for Congress but was not elected.

Early Life and Education

Les Miller was born in Tampa, Florida in 1951. He briefly attended Bethune-Cookman College. From 1971 to 1974, he served in the United States Air Force. After his military service, he went to the University of South Florida.

Student Leadership at USF

At the University of South Florida, Miller was very active. He served as the president of the Student Government Association. He was also the student representative on the Florida Board of Regents. In addition, he was the President of the Black Student Union.

Career Before Politics

In 1977, Miller started working for the Tampa Electric Company. He retired from there in 1987 due to a disability. From 1981 to 1991, Miller was part of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Cable TV Board. He also worked for a government relations firm. Later, he was a recruiter for Time Customer Service.

Serving on the Tampa City Council

In 1991, a City Councilman named Perry Harvey had to leave his position. Les Miller decided to run for this open seat in the 5th District. This district was mostly in East Tampa and had many African-American residents. Miller wanted to help people get affordable housing. He believed that when people own their homes, it makes neighborhoods stronger.

Campaign and Election

During his campaign, Miller faced several other candidates. He spoke out against removing a city rule that protected people from discrimination. He said, "Because I know what it is like to be discriminated against." Miller made it to a second round of voting, called a runoff election. He won the runoff election by a large margin, getting 58% of the votes.

Short Time in Office

However, Miller only served on the City Council for about two months. The former councilman, Perry Harvey, was found not guilty of the charges against him. Because of this, Harvey was allowed to return to his job. So, after just 56 days, Miller left the City Council. He had quit his job to run for office and was unemployed for a time.

Florida House of Representatives

In 1992, State Representative Jim Hargrett decided not to run for re-election. He was running for the Florida Senate instead. Les Miller announced that he would run for Hargrett's old seat in the 59th District. He was the only Democratic candidate, so he won the primary election without opposition.

First Term and Re-elections

In the general election, Miller ran against Nancy Vildibill, a Republican. Miller campaigned for more government spending on education and healthcare. He also wanted to close tax loopholes for wealthy people and companies. He won his first term easily, getting 72% of the votes. Miller was re-elected without opposition in 1994 and 1996.

Leadership Role

From 1996 to 1998, Miller served as the Democratic Whip. This is a leadership position in the House. In 1998, he was chosen by his party to be the Minority Leader for the 1998–2000 session. This meant he was the main leader for the Democratic Party in the House. He won re-election in 1998 without opposition.

Florida Senate

In 2000, State Senator Jim Hargrett could not run for re-election because of term limits. Les Miller decided to run for his seat in the 21st District. This district included parts of Tampa, Florida, St. Petersburg, Florida, and Bradenton, Florida. He faced Doug Jamerson in the Democratic primary election.

Winning the Primary and General Elections

Miller raised more money than Jamerson and was seen as the favorite to win. The two candidates mostly focused on their experience. Miller won the primary election with 54% of the votes. In the general election, Miller ran against Rudy Bradley, a Republican. Miller focused on economic development and healthcare. He won his first term in the Senate by a large margin, getting 70% of the votes.

Senate Leadership

After the 2000 census, the districts were redrawn. Miller was re-elected without opposition in the new 18th District in 2002. He was chosen by the Senate Democratic group to be the Minority Leader for the 2004–2006 legislative session. This was a special time because it was the first time in Florida history that black lawmakers led both the House and the Senate at the same time.

2006 Congressional Campaign

In 2006, Congressman Jim Davis decided to run for governor instead of seeking re-election. Les Miller ran to take his place in the 11th District. He ran against Hillsborough County Commissioner Kathy Castor in the Democratic primary.

Campaign and Outcome

Early polls showed Castor leading Miller. She also raised more money for her campaign. Both the St. Petersburg Times and the Tampa Tribune supported Castor. They praised Miller's experience but felt Castor was a better choice for Congress. Castor won the primary election with 54% of the votes, while Miller received 34%.

Hillsborough County Commission

In 2010, Les Miller returned to elected office. He challenged County Commissioner Kevin White for re-election in the 3rd District. Miller focused on his own achievements in the legislature. He argued that the district's needs had not been met during White's time in office.

Election and Re-elections

The Times supported Miller, saying his experience would help the district. Miller won the primary election with 51% of the votes. In the general election, he faced only write-in candidates and won his first term as County Commissioner with 96% of the votes. He was re-elected in 2014 and 2018 without opposition.

Retirement from Commission

Miller could not run for another term on the County Commission in 2020 due to term limits. He initially announced he would run for Hillsborough County Clerk. However, a few months later, he decided to drop out of that race. He said he wanted to spend time with his family and was dealing with severe arthritis and other health issues.