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Maine’s Nirav Shah enters U.S. Senate race
Shah launched his campaign following Democratic nominee Graham Platner's withdrawal.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 09, Jul 2026
- 11:08 EDT
- 75
Dr Nirav Shah. / Shah for Maine
Former Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Nirav Shah on July 9 launched a bid for the US Senate seat from Maine, setting up a challenge to incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the 2026 election.
Shah announced his candidacy in a video message, saying he was running to "defeat Susan Collins" and arguing that Maine needed stronger representation in Washington.
Also Read: Maine’s Nirav Shah mulls U.S. Senate bid
His announcement came after Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner announced he was ending his campaign following a sexual assault allegation, which he has denied.
Once Platner formally withdraws from the ballot, Maine Democrats can select a replacement nominee under state law.
As your next United States Senator,
— Nirav D. Shah (@nirav_maine) July 9, 2026
I will fight for Medicare for All because nobody in the wealthiest country on earth should go bankrupt over a medical bill. I will fight to make billionaires and the biggest corporations finally pay their fair share. I will fight to rein in… pic.twitter.com/Lp6H0rxkbn
Addressing Platner's supporters, Shah said, "To those who supported Graham Platner, my message is this: You have an important place in this campaign because it represents the values that we all care about–building a state and a country where everyone can get ahead, respecting our neighbors, and holding Donald Trump accountable."
Criticizing Collins' nearly three decades in the Senate, Shah said, "Susan Collins has been in Washington for nearly 30 years, and the longer she stays, the less that Maine families have to show for it. Maine deserves a fighter in this seat, and I will be that fighter."
Shah outlined a progressive platform that includes support for Medicare for All, higher taxes on billionaires and large corporations, immigration enforcement reforms, and opposition to President Donald Trump's foreign policy.
"I will fight for Medicare for All because in the wealthiest country on earth, nobody should ever go bankrupt over a medical bill," Shah said. He also pledged to "make billionaires and the biggest corporations finally pay their fair share," "rein in ICE and end the targeting of our immigrant neighbors," and "end Trump's reckless foreign wars." He added that he would oppose Trump's "far-right judges" and Cabinet secretaries.
In a post on X, Shah reiterated those priorities, saying the race was "not about one person or one seat" but about "everyday Mainers."
"I've shown up and fought for you before, and I am ready to do it again," he wrote.
A physician and public health expert, Shah rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic through his daily briefings as director of the Maine CDC from 2019 to 2023.
He later served as principal deputy director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before returning to Maine.
Earlier this year, he finished second in Maine's Democratic gubernatorial primary.
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