lie algebras - Jordan decomposition in a classical group

Let $mathfrak{g} subset mathfrak{gl}_n$ be one of the classical real or complex semisimple Lie algebras. If $g in mathfrak{g}$, then $g$ has a Jordan decomposition $g = g_s + g_n$ with $g_s$ semisimple and $g_n$ nilpotent, and $[g_s,g_n]=0$.

The elements $g_s,g_n$, which a priori are just in $mathfrak{gl}_n$, are both in $mathfrak{g}$ again. There are various middle-brow general ways to see this (for one, use that $mathfrak{g}$ is algebraic), but for concrete choices of $mathfrak{g}$ it's basically elementary, as follows. One knows from the construction of the Jordan decomposition that $g_s,g_n$ are both polynomials in $g$ (different polynomials for different $g$, of course), and (EDIT) you can rig the construction so that these polynomials are odd. The Lie algebra $mathfrak{g}$ is the subspace of $mathfrak{gl}_n$ cut out by conditions like $mathrm{trace}(g)=0$, or $Jg = -g^{t} J$ for some matrix $J$, and so forth. The condition $mathrm{trace}(g)=0$ is always true for $g_n$, so it's true for $g_s$ if true for $g$. The condition $Jg=-g^t J$ is visibly true for odd $p(g)$ if true for $g$, so if true for $g$ then it's true for both $g_s$ and $g_n$. Thus $g_s$ and $g_n$ visibly satisfy whatever conditions $g$ is required to satisfy, and so are contained in $mathfrak{g}$.

(This might seem lowbrow but in fact I think this is basically the idea of the proof that Fulton-Harris give for general semisimple Lie algebras.)

Now suppose instead that $G$ is a real or complex linear Lie group with Lie algebra $mathfrak{g}$. This time the Jordan decomposition is $g = g_s g_u$ with $g_u$ unipotent, and indeed $g_s$ and $g_u$ are still in $G$. But if you try to make the same lowbrow argument as in the Lie algebra case, it appears to die horribly (a condition like $g^t = g^{-1}$ certainly need not be preserved by taking a polynomial in $g$). My question is, is there an elementary way to rescue it? (In particular, something other than just the general argument for algebraic groups.) Obviously you're fine for elements $g$ in the image of the exponential map, so the issue is passing to the whole group. A caveat is that I do $textit{not}$ want to assume that $G$ is connected.