To push back against what he feels is a “real-life nightmare” under President Donald Trump, Stephen King said Wednesday he is endorsing former Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree in the state’s gubernatorial race.

The prolific author from Maine announced his support for the Democratic candidate in a fundraising email from Pingree’s campaign. In the message, King said Trump “is tearing our country apart and unlike my horror stories, we can’t turn the page to make it all go away.”

“But what we can do is elect statewide leaders who will deliver for Maine people, protect our communities, and govern with courage and integrity,” King wrote.

Endorsements don’t typically hold much sway in Maine campaigns, but Pingree will welcome the backing from the famous author. Two recent polls showed her trailing her opponents in the Democratic primary.

Nearly two dozen candidates are running to succeed Gov. Janet Mills, who is term-limited and running for the U.S. Senate. The primary is June 9.

The most recent University of New Hampshire poll of likely Democratic primary voters had Pingree in fourth at 10%, behind former Maine Center of Disease Control and Prevention Director Nirav Shah, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson.

A Pan Atlantic Research survey released last week put her third behind Shah and ex-clean energy executive Angus King III — though Pingree led the field in one metric: 48% of respondents said they are “open” to supporting her. Republican Bobby Charles has been leading the field in polling of his party’s primary.

Other well-known figures to make Democratic endorsements in the race include U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, who supported Jackson.

Pingree, 49, the daughter of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, led the Maine House from 2008 to 2010 and led Mills’ policy office from 2019 until last year.

Political observers have wondered whether the governor will endorse Pingree as her preferred successor, but Mills has not publicly backed any gubernatorial candidate.

Stephen King, in his fundraising pitch for Pingree, noted his family’s ties to Bangor and how he taught high school English in Hampden before becoming an author. He credited Pingree with taking on chemical companies when she was in the Maine House and with being a lead co-sponsor of legislation permitting same-sex marriage in 2009.

“Here’s the truth: The outcome of this election will shape the future of our state,” King wrote, “and it’s up to all of us to decide how the story ends.”