As a senior citizen, I’ve seen countless campaigns and voted in countless elections. I’ve heard promises turn into sound bites and morals watered down by interest groups. I’ve also experienced how aging transforms an informed voter into a liability for too many campaigns. But what we gain as we age is a clear understanding of what it means to be trustworthy. And, Dr. Nirav Shah hits the mark.

Trust isn’t built on speeches. It’s built on telling the truth and delivering on commitments. I trust Dr. Shah’s ability to lead because we’ve already seen him do so. During COVID, we trusted him and watched him solve problems while treating everyone with respect.

When I recently had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Shah at a meet-and-greet for Thornton Oaks Retirement Community members, he didn’t speak at us, he listened and invited our most urgent questions. His answers were thoughtful and direct, particularly when he spoke about his plans for older Mainers. To Dr. Shah, Maine’s large senior population is not a liability, but an asset — a resource of experience and wisdom worth drawing on. It’s rare these days to be seen as a contributor rather than a nuisance.

After a lifetime of watching leaders reveal their true mettle in the most challenging situations, I trust Dr. Nirav Shah to lead Maine, not because he promises to, but because he already has.

Moriah Freeman
Brunswick