ME-SEN: Nirav Shah, governor primary runner-up, jumps into race to replace Platner

Nirav Shah, the former Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention director who recently lost in the Democratic primary for governor, officially threw his name into the race to succeed Graham Platner on Thursday morning.

Like many other Democrats who are jumping in officially following Platner’s exit Wednesday evening, Shah was essentially already in the race. On Tuesday, he was doing interviews and calling for debates and an open process.

But Thursday’s comments, which were posted to social media, cemented his status as a candidate.

“Establishment politicians have failed us,” Shah said on X. “To defeat Susan Collins, we need an outsider who is not afraid to take on the broken system she has spent decades upholding.”




https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/07/09/congress/another-maine-candidate-00991525