Angus King III, the son of Maine's senator, officially announces his candidacy for the state's governor position.
In a surprising move, energy executive Angus King III, son of independent Senator Angus King Jr. from Maine, has announced his intent to run for governor as a Democrat in the 2026 election. With incumbent Gov. Janet Mills term-limited, King wishes to follow in his father's footsteps who served two terms as governor from 1995 to 2003.
With a career built on problem-solving and helping people, King sees the political landscape as ripe for change, with many struggling and afraid due to the various challenges they face. He declaratively states, "Right now, I'm going to run for governor to build a better Maine."
King will be competing with Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former Senate President Troy Jackson for the Democratic nomination. The Republican candidates include Bobby Charles, a former federal government official with experience in the State Department and House of Representatives. As Maine has a history of electing governors from different parties every few decades, competition is expected to heat up.
In regards to the recent controversy surrounding Gov. Mills and the Trump administration over federal funding related to Maine's policies toward transgender athletes, King takes a firm stance saying, "I'll never rest when it comes to helping the people of Maine."
Even though Angus III spent his career as an outsider, he carries a public reminder of his family ties to one of Maine's most prominent politicians - his father. The elder King served as Maine's governor and a U.S. Senator, but Angus III has chosen to run as a Democrat. Regarding his decision to align with one of the national political parties, he simply states, "I am a Democrat."
Leveraging his unique experience in the private sector, especially his work on a project that transformed cow manure into renewable fuel, King plans to foster collaboration across ideological lines, as demonstrated by his ability to bring together a gas utility company and supporters of renewable energy for a shared goal.
Compared to his father's moderate, pragmatic approach to politics, King positions himself as an outsider with a proven capability to "build things and solve problems." While his policy positions remain broadly outlined in early campaign materials, his emphasis on economic growth, affordability, and addressing Maine's affordability crisis offers a glimpse into his priorities. As the 2026 gubernatorial race takes shape, King looks poised to bring his own brand of political leadership to the table.
Angus King III, the Democrat candidate for governor in the 2026 election, intends to expand on his career of problem-solving and helping people by building a better Maine. He faces competition from other Democratic nominees like Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former Senate President Troy Jackson, as well as Republican candidates such as Bobby Charles. King's stance on the recent controversy regarding federal funding and Maine's policies toward transgender athletes is firm, promising to never rest in helping the people of Maine. Despite his career as an outsider and family ties to a prominent Maine politician, King identifies as a Democrat and plans to foster collaboration across ideological lines, drawing on his unique experience in the private sector to build things and solve problems.
