Ben Midgley, a former fitness franchise executive from Kennebunkport, will announce a run for Maine governor next week.

Midgley, a Republican, joins a crowded field of more than a dozen candidates vying to replace Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who is prevented from seeking reelection due to term limits.

He previously served as the president of Planet Fitness, the New Hampshire-based chain of more than 2,700 fitness centers, and was a founding partner and the former chief executive officer of Crunch Franchising, a fitness chain with 460 locations nationwide.

“Ben believes that Maine’s greatest advantage is our people, and our values, and that with the right leadership, we can make Maine a great place to build a business and raise a family,” Midgley’s campaign said in a news release Friday.

Midgley, 55, is expected to officially launch his campaign Tuesday in Kennebunkport.

The Republican field for the 2026 governor’s race has so far been slower to take shape while several prominent Democrats have already announced their candidacy including Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; former Senate President Troy Jackson; former House Speaker Hannah Pingree, who is also the daughter of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree; and Angus King III, a renewable energy entrepreneur and businessman who is the son of U.S. Sen. Angus King.

On the Republican side, candidates include Bobby Charles, a lawyer who served as an assistant secretary of state under President George W. Bush; Owen McCarthy, a medical technology entrepreneur; real estate broker David Jones; and state Sen. Jim Libby.

Sen. Rick Bennett, a longtime Republican who recently unenrolled from the party, is also running as an independent.

Party-affiliated candidates for governor need to collect between 2,000 and 2,500 signatures from Maine voters to qualify for the ballot, and can begin circulating petitions on Jan. 1. Unenrolled candidates must collect between 4,000 and 5,000 signatures by June 1.

Signatures are due to the Maine Department of the Secretary of State by March 16, 2026, and primary elections are scheduled for June 9, 2026.