U.S. Sen Angus King Launches Reelection Campaign, Emphasizing Centrist Views and Need for Compromise

U.S. Sen Angus King Launches Reelection Campaign, Emphasizes Need for Compromise in Senate

U.S. Sen Angus King officially kicked off his reelection campaign on Wednesday, highlighting his centrist political views and advocating for compromise in the Senate. The 80-year-old independent, who caucuses with the Democrats, has served two terms in the Senate and was previously the governor of Maine for eight years.

In his announcement video, King stated, “I’m running for Senate again for two main reasons. One is there is a lot left to do. The second is we’re losing the middle in the Senate.” He expressed concern over the departure of centrist senators who played key roles in brokering deals for important legislation on issues such as pandemic relief, environmental protection, health care for veterans, and the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

While King did not mention them by name, he was likely referring to lawmakers like Sen. Joe Manchin, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, and Sen. Mitt Romney, who have been involved in negotiating legislative deals but have also faced criticism for their stances on certain bills.

King emphasized his role in bridging the divide in the Senate, listening to people, bringing them together, and compromising to find solutions to challenging issues. He had previously indicated his intention to seek another term and will likely face competition from former Maine GOP chair Demi Kouzounas, Democrat David Costello, and retired FBI agent Jason Cherry in the November general election.

Having easily won his previous campaigns for the Senate, King is gearing up for another run with a focus on promoting bipartisanship and cooperation in a political climate marked by increasing polarization.