Sen. Elizabeth Schneider (Bridget Brown/Bangor Daily News)

Independent former Gov. Angus King opened a Bangor campaign office Wednesday morning and announced that Democratic state Sen. Elizabeth Schneider of Orono will be the office’s volunteer manager.

“I am so grateful, instead of kicking back and relaxing, which he could have done, Angus was willing to step up to help our state and nation get back on track,” Schneider said in a statement released by King’s campaign.

The King campaign announced the Democratic legislator’s support in June, when it unveiled a list of county campaign chairs. Another Democratic legislator, Rep. Anne Haskell of Portland, is also on the list of King’s county campaign chairs.

Schneider can’t run for reelection to her Senate seat this year due to term limits.

The 2012 Senate race isn’t the first time the Orono senator has publicly endorsed an independent candidate over her party’s nominee. In 2010, Schneider endorsed independent Eliot Cutler over Democrat Libby Mitchell.