Washington: Indian-American Nirav Shah withdrew from the Democratic primary for the US Senate from Maine, declaring support for Troy Jackson, who appeared to emerge as the clear choice of the party hoping to flip the long-held Republican seat.
Shah, a former Director of the Centre for Disease Control in Maine, had outperformed Jackson in the Democratic primary to be the party candidate in the race for governor. He, however, lost the gubernatorial primary to Hannah Pingree.
"A few weeks ago, I entered this race because I could not accept the idea of Susan Collins gliding to a sixth term at the very moment Maine families are being forced to pay the price for her votes," Shah wrote in a statement on X.
"Today, I am stepping aside, and I am doing it for exactly the same reason that led me to get in: we must defeat Susan Collins, and the Democratic Party must be unified to do it," he added.
Shah, 51, entered the race for the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat after Graham Platner, who had won the primary, withdrew following allegations of rape, abuse and racism.
The Maine Democratic Party has until July 27 to name a replacement candidate, according to state law.
Born in Wisconsin to Indian immigrants, Shah was the director of the Maine Centre for Disease Control during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 73-year-old Collins, a Republican, has been serving as US Senator from Maine since 1997.
Shah also served as the Principal Deputy Director, the second in command, at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention during President Joe Biden's tenure. He also served as Director of the Illinois Health Department.
Shah earned medical and law degrees from the University of Chicago. After graduating, he studied economics at Oxford University.
He is currently a visiting professor at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. According to his LinkedIn profile, he speaks Gujarati, Khmer and Spanish in addition to English.
Shah is married to Kara Palamountain, a research professor at Northwestern University. The couple are avid home cooks.
A logger by profession, Jackson served as president of the Maine Senate from late 2018 to late 2024.
