Indian American Impact Fund Backs Nirav Shah In Maine Governor Race
India-West Staff Reporter
AUGUSTA, ME — The Indian American Impact Fund has endorsed Nirav Shah in his campaign for governor of Maine, backing a candidate who would make history, if elected, as the state’s first South Asian and first person of color to hold the office.
Shah brings a background that blends medicine, law, and public service. A graduate of the University of Chicago with both medical and law degrees, he became a familiar figure to many Mainers during one of the state’s most difficult periods. Appointed in 2019 to lead the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shah oversaw the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During that time, Maine expanded testing, secured protective equipment for health care workers early, and rolled out a vaccine distribution strategy that drew national attention for its speed and effectiveness. Under Shah’s leadership, the state recorded one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the country.
His work later led President Joe Biden to appoint him as Principal Deputy Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency’s second-highest-ranking role. Shah has since returned to Maine, launching a campaign focused on affordability issues such as housing, energy costs, health care, and economic competitiveness.
Chintan Patel, executive director of the Indian American Impact Fund, said Shah’s record makes him well suited to meet the moment Maine is facing. “We are proud to endorse Nirav Shah’s candidacy to become the first South Asian Governor of Maine because he is the exact type of leader needed in this moment,” Patel said. He pointed to Shah’s pandemic leadership as preparation for confronting today’s challenges, saying it will “serve him in fighting the affordability crisis facing Mainers by tackling energy costs, increasing affordable housing, lowering healthcare costs, and fueling economic growth.”
Shah said the endorsement reflects shared values rooted in service and opportunity. “I’m honored and humbled by the endorsement of the Indian American Impact Fund,” he said. “Like so many people in Maine, my story is grounded in the belief that hard work and service can make a real difference.”
He added that the trust placed in him during the pandemic continues to shape his campaign. “Maine trusted me to lead in a moment of crisis, and now I’m committed to bringing that same steady, results-driven leadership to tackling affordability, strengthening our communities, and building opportunity for every Mainer,” Shah said.
