Former Republican Sen. Alan Simpson of Wyoming has endorsed Angus King for Maine’s open Senate seat.

Simpson served in the U.S. Senate for 18 years and was assistant Republican leader. He also was co-chair of the bipartisan deficit reduction task force that came to be known as the Simpson-Bowles Commission. The commission’s plan calls for a combination of spending cuts, tax reform and tax increases.

Additional Photos

FILE - In this Aug. 17, 2012 file photo, Maine independent Senate candidate Angus King speaks at a news conference in Brunswick, Maine. King's opponent, Republican Charlie Summers is getting another television boost _ the biggest yet _ in the U.S. Senate race in Maine. A National Republican Senate Committee official says $600,000 is being spent over the next two weeks. The official wasn�t authorized to publicly discuss the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official tells The Associated Press that Maine is one of three states where the committee is currently engaged. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File) AP

The other co-chair, Erskine Bowles, a Democrat and former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, endorsed King in September.

Both Simpson and Bowles said King could become an independent bridge between the deadlocked parties in the Senate.

“Today, Congress’ sterile inability to make important compromises is truly threatening the state of our nation,” Simpson said in a statement released by the King campaign.

“While Angus King may not be wedded to Simpson-Bowles in its entirety (few are!), he views it as a fine framework to build upon. The fact is that playing one party against the other isn’t going to get us anywhere fast anymore,” he said. “We need people in Congress who can build bridges, encourage compromises, and actually make things happen for the sake of our nation’s future – not for their own election or re-election.”

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