“I’ve spent my life building and making things that really help people,” King III said in his announcement. “Now, I’m running for governor to build a better Maine, where it’s easier to start and grow a small business, where we can build our economy through innovation and hard work, and where it’s not so hard to afford the basic things you need to live and raise a family in the state we all love.”

When asked why he was running as a Democrat despite his father being an independent, King III said, “I’ve got a pretty easy answer for that one: I’m a Democrat.”

“For sure, I’ve got independent blood in my veins — and most Mainers do, too,” he said, noting the state needs a leader who is “pragmatic” and “moderate.”

“’How do we get things done, how do we bring people together?’ kind of people,” King III said. “That’s exactly how I’m going to serve as governor of Maine. That’s a terrific Maine tradition, and I fit pretty squarely into it.”

King III is the second major Democrat to enter the primary to replace Mills, alongside Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who announced her run earlier this year. On the Republican side, Bobby Charles, a longtime former federal government official who served in various staff positions at the State Department and the House, entered the race.

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This will be King III’s first time running for office, which he said he plans to embrace while campaigning. He noted his connection to his father’s legacy in the state. 

“There are very few genuinely inspirational politicians in America right now, and I happen to be lucky enough to have grown up with one of them,” he said.