AUGUSTA (AP) – State Rep. Barbara Merrill of Appleton, who recently left the Democratic Party to become a political independent, launched a bid for governor Thursday, joining an already crowded field.

A former lobbyist serving her first term in the Maine House of Representatives, Merrill is also the author of a new book in which she challenges political orthodoxies. She said she left the Democrats in large part because she is unhappy with the party’s stand on budget issues.

“Straight honest talk has always been a Maine trait, and I am running for governor to take honesty off the endangered species list in Augusta,” Merrill said in prepared remarks.

“Maine will never move forward until we have leaders who are willing to trust the people with the whole truth. Voters might forgive their leaders for spending beyond our means, if they admitted their mistakes and took steps to prevent similar actions in the future.

“They might give the Dirigo insurance plan a little longer to take hold if the governor admitted it was performing way below expectations. And we could have an important discussion about local control of schools, if the Republicans and Democrats who favor regional and state control would be straight forward with Maine voters.”

Merrill, who chose an Army Reserve center in Saco named after her father and a Grange hall in Morrill as the locations for her ceremonial announcement, referred would-be voters to her book: “Setting the Maine Course – We Can Get There From Here.”

“The Democrats call for more of the same, the Republicans less of the same and I want to set the ship of state on a new course, fixed on the belief that if Maine is true to itself, if we accentuate what makes us unique instead of rushing to be like everyone else, we will find the niche that promises us a happy and productive future,” Merrill said.

Democratic Gov. John Baldacci faces no significant opposition within his party in his quest for re-election. Three Republicans are seeking the GOP nomination – state Sens. Chandler Woodcock of Farmington and Peter Mills of Cornville and former U.S. Rep. David Emery of St. George.

The Green Independent Party’s Pat LaMarche of Yarmouth is running, as is independent Nancy Oden of Jonesboro.

“At a time when Maine men and women are risking their lives to promote democracy abroad, we all have the right to expect that our elected leaders back home will have the courage to do what is right for our state, even if that means having the courage to risk losing the next election,” Merrill said Thursday.

By late afternoon, the state ethics commission which manages Maine’s Clean Election voluntary system of public financing for political candidates had no filing by Merrill.