Alicia Florrick Gardner

Alicia Florrick Gardner
Second Lady of the United States
In role January 20, 2017 – April 29, 2019
Vice President	Peter Florrick
Preceded by	Jill Biden
Succeeded by	Vacant
Cook County State's Attorney
In office December 2012 – April 2014
Preceded by	Peter Florrick
First Lady of Illinois
In role January 13, 2011 – January 20, 2017
Personal details
Born	Alicia Diana Cavanaugh (1969-06-08) June 8, 1969 Naperville, Illinois, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Peter Florrick (m. 1996; div. 2019) Will Gardner (m. 2023)
Children	Zach · Grace

Alicia Diana Florrick Gardner (née Cavanaugh; born June 8, 1969) is an American attorney and politician. She is the former wife of the 49th vice president of the United States and 41st governor of Illionis, Peter Florrick. As such, she served as the second lady of the United States from 2017 until their divorce in 2019 and as first lady of Illinois from 2011 until 2017. A member of the Democratic Paty, she served as Cook County State's Attorney from 2012 until her resignation in 2014, a position held previously by her former husband.

Born in Naperville, Illinois, Florrick graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 1994. After graduating, she moved to Chicago and became a junior associate at the firm Crozier, Abrams & Abbott where soon after she met and married Peter Florrick in 1996. They have two children, Zach and Grace. Although she didn't share Peter's political ambitions, she has been described as the driving force behind his campaigns. In 2008, her martial relationship came under public scrutiny when allegations that, while Peter was Cook County State's Attorney, he abused his office by using public funds to hire escorts. She would issue a statement reaffirming her commitment to her marriage. Peter's conviction was later overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court in which she was called as a witness.

Upon her husband taking office as governor, Florrick became first lady of Illinois although she maintained her professional career as a junior associate at Lockhart/Gardner & Canning (originally Stern, Lockhart & Gardner) and maintained her residence in Highland Park. Upon the advice of political consultant Elli Gold, Florrick would run and win election to the office of Cook County State's Attorney, succeeding her husband in 2012. After allegations of voter fraud, Florrick was forced to resign from office and went back into private practice in 2014. Although first lady, she did not assume any duties traditionally held by wives of the governor and maintained a low profile.

While Peter ran for the vice presidency with Hillary Clinton, Florrick occasionally campaigned for the pair while working at her firm Florrick, Agos & Lockhart. Once Peter was elected vice president, Alicia became second lady of the United States in 2017. She is the second second lady (after Jill Biden) to hold a paying job while her husband was in office. She maintained her residence and main business in Chicago while opening a secondary branch in Washington, D. C. in 2018. Similarly while as first lady of Illionis, she did not assume many duties as second lady but would occasionally appear at state dinners and other political functions with her husband. The Florrick's announced their separation and divorce in 2019 and Alicia then ceased to be second lady. She is the first second lady to have held previous public office and is ranked in the top tier of second ladies.

Post–second ladyship

On December 31, 2023, Florrick married long-time friend and colleague Will Gardner, the couple choosing the date as a palindrome. The wedding was officiated by the her former husband Vice President Peter Florrick. Through her publicist, Florrick announced that she changed her surname upon marriage to Gardner, the surname of her husband.

Candidacy for Attorney General of Illinois

Gardner announced in January 2024 her campaign for Attorney General of Illinois in the 2026 election.