ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Nirav Shah holds narrow lead in Maine Democratic primary
The crowded Democratic contest to succeed term-limited Gov. Janet Mills is likely headed to a ranked-choice tabulation.
-
Malvika Choudhary - Wed, 10, Jun 2026
- 12:20 EDT
- 49
Dr Nirav Shah. / Shah for Maine
Indian American physician Nirav Shah is leading Maine's Democratic gubernatorial primary by a narrow margin, topping the five-candidate field as vote counting continues.
According to the Associated Press, Shah had received 53,790 votes, or 26.9% of the vote as of 9:10 p.m. EDT on June 10.
Also Read: How Indian Americans fared: California New Jersey primary takeaways
Former Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree was second with 46,437 votes, or 23.2 percent, followed by former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson with 42,020 votes (21.0 percent). Secretary of State Shenna Bellows received 41,340 votes (20.7 percent), while Angus King III garnered 16,430 votes (8.2 percent).
No candidate appeared close to securing a majority, making it likely that Maine's ranked-choice voting system will determine the Democratic nominee.
Under the system, voters rank candidates in order of preference, and lower-performing candidates are eliminated with their votes redistributed until one candidate surpasses 50 percent.
Shah entered the race as one of the best-known candidates in the field after becoming a familiar public figure during the COVID-19 pandemic through his regular public briefings as director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
He later served as principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and briefly as acting CDC director before returning to Maine in 2025.
His campaign focused on affordability, housing, healthcare and economic growth. Shah pledged to "fix housing, fund healthcare, feed kids, and fuel growth," while proposing measures to lower housing and energy costs, expand access to healthcare, improve elder care services and strengthen Maine's workforce.
Pre-election polling had consistently placed Shah among the leading Democratic contenders. A Pan Atlantic Research survey released in May showed him leading the field, while a later University of New Hampshire poll found him tied with Jackson, underscoring the competitiveness of the race heading into primary day.
The Democratic contest to succeed term-limited Gov. Janet Mills drew a high-profile field that included Pingree, the former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives; Jackson, the former president of the Maine Senate; Bellows, the state's secretary of state; and King, an energy executive and son of U.S. Sen. Angus King.
Final results are expected after ranked-choice tabulations are completed, a process that can take several days in closely contested statewide races.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login