I never understood why Angus King considers himself to be an "Independent" anyway. His positions seem pretty reliably RAT to me -- pro-gay marriage, pro-abortion, pro-gun control, pro-Obamacare, pro-tree hugging, pro-teachers unions, anti-House spending cuts, anti-ANWR drilling, etc. If that's "centrist", I'd hate to see what this guy considers to be liberal.
At least that lunatic Bernie Sanders runs as an "independent" because he's a proud card-carrying Socialist and the RAT party isn't liberal ENOUGH for him. Also, as much I dislike loudmouth idiot Jesse Ventura, he was pretty much a "moderate Libertarian" (if there is such a thing) and supported the GOP on some issues like property tax cuts, sales tax rebate, gun rights, and he was royally pi$$ed at the RATs for the Wellstone funerally.
But how is King any different from a typical RAT? Because he's from the "private sector"? So is Al Franken, but I don't see that douchebag claiming to be "Independent"
He started out as a rich guy buying the Governorship, it was easier for him to just bypass the party primaries and run as an indie. He wouldn’t have won the rat primary in 1994 over Joe Brennan. He possibly could have won the GOP primary (over Collins and others).
Given that they almost all endorsed him anyway be probably would have easily won the rat primary for Senate in 2012. Since most of us thought we’d be taking the Senate he probably wanted to hedge his bet. I bet he’s an ego-maniac.
I doubt very much he’d ever joined the GOP, as you say it would just be organizing with us. But unless he promised he wasn’t going back to the rats if they gained a few seats next time, I’d tell him to go screw.