Polling Average
60%50%40%30%20%10%0%
46%
45.5%
Democrat
Nirav Dinesh Shah
Maine Senate winner? (Person)
$1.8M
NOV 7, 2026
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Overview
Current rolePhysician (epidemiologist)
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyMainstream Democrat
GenderMale
LocationMaine
Show moreShow less
BackgroundPhysician (epidemiologist)
EducationUniversity of Louisville — B.S.
Notable personal detailsNirav Dinesh Shah is an American public health leader, physician, attorney, and economist who served as director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (2015–2019) and director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2019–2023). He became a prominent public spokesperson during Maine’s COVID-19 response and later served as principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023–2025). He has been a visiting professor at Colby College and ran as a Democrat in Maine’s 2026 gubernatorial primary before later launching a 2026 U.S. Senate campaign in Maine.
SourcesShowHide
en.wikipedia.orgpressherald.comshahformaine.commaine.govkellogg.northwestern.eduwikidata.orglinktr.eesupremecourt.govballotready.orgabplive.comrcvis.combangordailynews.comwashingtonpost.comrisingtide.mediafec.govloc.govpredictionedge.compiceapp.comksjd.orgsystematixgroup.inmarineelectricals.comsymphonylimited.comreddit.comwmtw.commainepublic.orggivegreen.comndtv.comopenthemagazine.comfortuneindia.comtheindiaforum.inindialegallive.comtheweek.inctj.orgwshu.orgfarmington.edusouthasianherald.comwgme.comin.linkedin.comfacebook.comgenerationim.cominstagram.comefoservices.fec.govgovinfo.govwhitehouse.govdeveloper.ballotpedia.orglegislation.ballotpedia.orgdocquery.fec.govjudiciary.house.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports subsidizing low-income housing and expanding services like child care and health care; opposes offering tax breaks to attract companies to Maine. Emphasizes growing the economy by attracting purpose-driven employers while prioritizing funding for social programs rather than business tax incentives.
Healthcare
Nirav Dinesh Shah’s campaign emphasizes funding healthcare and improving access as one of its priorities, but the campaign materials and public coverage provide only high-level commitments rather than detailed policy proposals. Available sources describe his background as a public-health leader and list healthcare funding/access among campaign priorities without specifying support for particular reforms such as a public option, Medicaid expansion changes, or Medicare for All.
Show moreShow less
Immigration & Border
The candidate has criticized recent federal immigration enforcement actions in Maine as dehumanizing and urged community organizing and documenting interactions with ICE; he said the state should cooperate with the federal government while also standing up to it when necessary. These statements emphasize protecting communities from aggressive enforcement while not calling explicitly for large-scale regularization or broad deportation policies.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports protecting access to reproductive health care and says he is proud of Maine’s liberal abortion laws; frames reproductive health care as a right that states must defend.
Climate & Energy
Supports sustainable policies to reduce environmental risks and expand clean-energy opportunities; commits to bold climate action and protecting clean air, water, and resilience to climate impacts while promoting economic growth tied to clean energy. Emphasizes evidence-driven solutions linking a healthy environment to public health and the economy.
Polls
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- News
- Endorsements
- Fundraising