Former Maine Republican Party Chair Demi Kouzounas announced Friday that she is launching a campaign for the U.S. Senate, hoping to unseat incumbent Sen. Angus King.Kouzounas made the announcement on the Ray Richardson show on WLOB radio. She said she decided to run after getting a call from Sen. Susan Collins on Monday urging her to throw her hat into the ring. Kouzounas said Collins "put it on the line" during that call. She said she decided by 6 p.m. Monday to run. The announcement comes almost exactly a year after Kouzounas was ousted at chair of the Maine GOP following significant wins for Democrats in Maine elections. Kouzounas said this is a big deal."To have a senator go unopposed, I think, is terrible. Besides, what has he done for our state? I think we need a woman’s vote,” said Kouzounas.“I think we need a person that is a Mainer, that is a mother, that is a grandmother, that is concerned about our state, that is concerned about inflation, that is concerned about school loans, drugs, fentanyl addiction. I'm a veteran. The veterans are living out in the streets while we are paying for illegals to live in our hotel rooms for the next two years.”Kouzounas is a first-generation immigrant. She plans to start collecting signatures on Saturday in York County and the Lakes Region. The King campaign quickly responded to the announcement with a fundraising plea."We need to take this seriously — our ability to continue making progress for all Maine people is on the line," the campaign said.King, an Independent who previously served as governor of Maine, has been in the Senate since 2012 and has one of the highest approval ratings in the Senate. If elected to a third term, he would be the oldest person to ever represent Maine in the Senate.In a statement to Maine's Total Coverage, a spokesperson for Collins said "Senator Collins thinks very highly of Demi and considers her a good friend. Demi is known for her passion for public service, including her time in the military and her work providing dental services to Maine families who otherwise would not have access to care. Senator Collins often talks to individuals who are considering running for public office, both in Maine and across the country. She believes that it is important for the Republicans to have a quality candidate in the U.S. Senate race. As has been her practice in Senate races where one of her colleagues is running, Senator Collins will not be making a formal endorsement in this race."