Indian American Nirav Shah Launches U.S. Senate Campaign in Maine

Washington — Dr. Nirav Shah, an Indian American physician and former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, has announced a run for the U.S. Senate, entering the race to challenge longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

Shah, who became one of Maine’s most visible public officials during the COVID-19 pandemic, also announced a statewide “Defeat Susan Collins Town Hall Tour.” His campaign said a schedule for the tour will be released later.

“Today I am excited to announce my candidacy for the United States Senate to defeat Susan Collins,” Shah said in a statement.

Shah directly appealed to supporters of Democratic candidate Graham Platner, whose Senate campaign was suspended earlier this week.

“To the movement that supported Graham Platner, my message is this: you have a place in this campaign,” Shah said.

He said his campaign represents what he called core Maine values, including building a state and country “where everyone can get ahead, not just the privileged few,” respecting neighbors and holding President Donald Trump and Collins accountable.

Shah said “establishment politicians have failed us” and argued that “Maine deserves a fighter in this seat, and I will be that fighter.”

In his announcement, Shah outlined a progressive platform that includes support for Medicare for All, higher taxes on billionaires and large corporations, restrictions on immigration enforcement and opposition to Trump’s foreign policy.

He said he would “fight for Medicare for All because nobody in the wealthiest country on earth should go bankrupt over a medical bill.”

Shah also pledged to “fight to make billionaires and the biggest corporations finally pay their fair share”, “fight to rein in ICE and end the targeting of our immigrant neighbours”, and “fight to end Trump’s reckless foreign wars.”

The former public health official sharply criticized Collins, accusing her of supporting Trump and failing to deliver for Maine.

“For too long, Susan Collins has upheld a corrupt system that benefits Donald Trump and hurts Mainers,” Shah said.

He said Collins has “spent almost thirty years in Washington” and argued that “the longer she stays, the less Maine families have to show for it.”

Shah accused Collins of enabling Trump’s agenda, saying it had led to “skyrocketing costs, runaway corruption, and a government that is only interested in enriching itself at the expense of Mainers.”

He also criticized Collins’ voting record, saying she often expresses concern before ultimately backing Trump-backed measures.

“Mainers know the routine by heart, the furrowed brow and the feigned concern followed by a vote cast exactly the way Donald Trump needs it cast, which last year was 95 percent of the time,” Shah said.

Shah also pointed to Collins’ support for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, saying she had assured voters that Kavanaugh considered Roe v. Wade settled law.

“After three decades, this state deserves a senator who fights for it rather than one who keeps finding new ways to explain why she could not,” Shah said.

Calling the campaign larger than one candidate or one Senate seat, Shah said the race is about “everyday Mainers.”

“I’ve shown up and fought for you before, and I am ready to do it again as your next United States Senator,” he said.

Shah gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic as director of the Maine CDC, where his regular public briefings made him one of the state’s best-known public officials. He later left the post to join the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before returning to Maine politics.

The Maine Senate race is expected to be one of the closely watched contests of the 2026 midterm elections. (Source: IANS)