Sean Lengell The Washington Times - February 3, 2011, 02:18PM

George LeMieux part deux?

Maybe, says the former Republican senator from Florida, who told a gathering of Republicans in Tallahassee Wednesday that — after stepping down from office last month — he is considering another go in the Senate.

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 “I’m surely thinking about it,” said LeMieux when asked directly about his plans to run for Senate in 2012, Florida Capital News reported.

Florida Sen. Bill Nelson is up for re-election in 2012 and the GOP is eager to pick off the two-term Democrat they view as highly vulnerable.

LeMieux was appointed to the Senate in 2009 by then-Gov. Charlie Crist to serve the remainder of former Sen. Mel Martinez’s term. There has been widespread speculation ever since in Washington and the Sunshine State that LeMieux — a former Crist chief of staff — would challenge Nelson.

The former senator said he would make a decision “pretty soon,” the news service reported.

“There are already people in this race. I can’t wait too long,” he added.