May 13, 2026
MAINE – A new statewide poll from Schoen Cooperman Research on behalf of 314 Action Victory Fund – Maine found Dr. Nirav Shah is leading the gubernatorial Democratic primary field by 9 points on the first ballot, growing to a whopping 16 points on the final ballot—a lead that solidifies under Maine’s ranked choice system. With only 7% undecided in this race, it’s clear that Dr. Shah has the momentum in this race and has solidified himself as the front-runner.
To view the polling memo, click here
“Dr. Shah is the leader Maine needs right now,” said 314 Action President Shaughnessy Naughton. “He has spent his career protecting American families from disease and outbreak, and he has proven he can lead through a crisis. His pandemic leadership became a national model, and voters recognize that experience matters. With four public polls confirming, he is now the clear front-runner in this race and he will become Maine’s next governor in November.”
Dr. Shah served as Maine CDC Director during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he rebuilt an agency that had been gutted by the previous Republican administration and led the state’s response with a clarity and competence that became a blueprint for the nation. His success caught the attention of the Biden administration, which tapped him to serve as Principal Deputy Director of the U.S. CDC—elevating him from state to national leadership.
314 Action Fund, the nation’s only organization working to recruit, train and elect doctors and scientists endorsed Nirav Shah for Maine governor in December 2025.
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314 Action is the only national organization working to recruit, train and elect Democratic scientists across all levels of government—from the Senate down to local school boards. The organization is powered by a grassroots community of over six million people supporting scientists and health care professionals who will use science and facts to address the most urgent issues facing our generation.