State Representative Edward Crocket is entering an increasingly crowded field to run for governor of Maine.

Crocket represents parts of Portland and Falmouth and is a former Democrat who is now listed as unenrolled.

He’ll avoid a crowded Democratic primary, which has numerous well-known and well-funded candidates, and will join at least two other Independents running for governor.

Current Democratic Governor Janet Mills is term-limited and is considering a run to unseat Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins in next year’s election.

The current Democratic field for governor includes Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, energy executive Angus King III, and former Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree. King III is the son of former Governor and current Independent U.S. Senator Angus King. Pingree is the daughter of current Democratic 1st District U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree.

The Republican candidates include Bobby Charles, who worked in the Republican U.S. Presidential administrations of Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush and George W Bush,  Republican State Senator James Libby, and entrepreneur Owen McCarthy.

Independents running against Crocket for governor include State Senator Rick Bennett, who unenrolled as a Republican, and John Glowa.

Crocket joined the state legislature in 2018.

According to Balletpedia, his career experience includes working as a vice president of marketing for Lepage Bakeries, a category manager for Hannaford Bros, a director of sales for Oakhurst Dairy, and president of Capt’n Eli Soda.

Crocket was born in and lives in Portland, graduated from Portland High School in 1979, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine in 1983 and an M.B.A. from Boston College in 1986.