Born in South Berwick, Maine in 1906, George D. Varney was educated at Berwick Academy, Bowdoin College and Washington and Lee University Law School.
In 1931 he was elected to the Maine House of Representatives but did not seek reelection, serving instead as York County Attorney in 1933-1934.
In 1937 he was again elected to the House and reelected in 1939 and 1941. In 1943 he was elected to the Maine State Senate and reelected in 1945 and 1947, serving his last two terms as President of the Senate.