ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Nirav Shah clears Maine convention signature hurdle
The physician and former public health official said volunteers gathered nearly 1,000 signatures in two days.
-
Ankita Baidya - Mon, 13, Jul 2026
- 04:29 EDT
- 35
Nirav Shah has qualified for the Maine Democratic Party's U.S. Senate nominating convention. / File Photo
Nirav Shah, a candidate for the Democratic nomination in Maine's U.S. Senate race, announced that his campaign has collected more than 800 signatures, surpassing the threshold required to qualify for the Maine Democratic Party's nominating convention, according to a post on his official X account.
In a video shared with the announcement, Shah said his campaign gathered nearly 1,000 signatures in two days with the help of volunteers, young activists and retired Mainers who canvassed communities across the state. He said the campaign exceeded the requirement of collecting at least 500 signatures overall, including a minimum of 50 signatures from each of eight counties. Shah credited the milestone to his volunteer organizers and said it reflected growing support for his candidacy. The Democratic nominating convention is scheduled for July 25 in Bangor.
Also read: Maine’s Nirav Shah enters U.S. Senate race
Shah, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and former principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, entered the Senate race after Democratic nominee Graham Platner suspended his campaign following an allegation by former girlfriend Jenny Racicot, who accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021.
Before Platner withdrew, several Democratic leaders, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, had rescinded their endorsements.
Our campaign has officially hit the required number of signatures to qualify as a candidate for the Maine Democratic Nominating Convention! Our team gathered 800+ signatures from Mainers in just a few days, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the support we’ve received across the… pic.twitter.com/6ijZmFFtnD
— Nirav D. Shah (@nirav_maine) July 13, 2026
Shah previously sought the Democratic nomination for governor of Maine, finishing second to eventual nominee Hannah Pingree in the June primary after leading in first-choice votes under the state's ranked-choice voting system. His Senate platform includes support for Medicare for All, higher taxes on billionaires and large corporations, immigration reform and increased oversight of President Donald Trump's administration. If nominated, he would face Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who is seeking a sixth term.
The Democratic field remains crowded. Candidates seeking the nomination include former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, Maine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban, state Rep. Valli Geiger, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and 2024 Senate candidate David Costello.
Under Maine law, Democrats must select a replacement nominee by July 27 following Platner's withdrawal. The nominee will challenge Collins in the November general election.
If nominated and elected, Shah would become only the second Indian American to serve in the U.S. Senate, after former Vice President Kamala Harris, and the only Indian American currently serving in the chamber, according to the Indian American Impact Fund, which has endorsed his candidacy.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
Leave A Comment
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