Nirav Shah, the former head of the Maine CDC and former deputy principal director at the U.S. CDC, is an attorney, economist and public health leader, running for governor in Maine in 2026.

Five years ago today, a nurse in Maine Med’s ICU rolled up her sleeve and took the first COVID-19 vaccine in our state. She showed the country what leadership looks like and Mainers did the same, achieving among the highest vaccination rates and lowest age-adjusted death rates in the country.

Because that’s who we are. Maine’s motto, Dirigo – I lead – has defined this state for centuries. We led in the fight against slavery. We led on marriage equality. We led during the pandemic. We lead when others won’t. And right now, we have no choice but to lead again.

Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress are ripping apart the American health care system, walking away from millions of families who will lose coverage, face higher costs, and watch their hospitals close. And here in Maine, too many of our neighbors are forced to make an impossible choice: go without care or go bankrupt. That is not a system. That is surrender.

Health care is a human right, and Maine must treat it that way. Every other wealthy country guarantees universal coverage. The U.S. should too. And while President Trump and Republicans in Congress are decimating our health care system, Maine must defend and
improve it.

As governor, I will approach this work with the same clear, calm, and common-sense leadership that Mainers saw during COVID.

First, we keep care local. That means investing in primary care to prevent, screen, and diagnose common conditions like diabetes and asthma before they become severe. It also means keeping rural hospitals open by stepping in early, stabilizing their finances, reforming reimbursement systems that favor volume over patient value,and preventing federal cuts from turning parts of Maine into care deserts.

Second, we take on drug prices. No Mainer should pay 10 times what people in Canada pay for the same insulin or inhaler. We will strengthen the Prescription Drug Affordability Board and cap out-of-pocket costs for essential medications for every single Mainer. We will lead with our values and make clear to pharmaceutical companies and their benefit managers what our expectations are.

Third, we will invest in the people who make health care possible. To do so, we will create a statewide pipeline – from training to apprenticeships to incentives for staying in Maine – to make sure young people can build stable, high-paying health care careers right here at home.

Washington may be cutting support. As governor, I will not.

Fourth, we expand school-based health centers. Kids deserve a place to get basic care where they learn, without parents losing wages or driving hours in search of that care. School health is public health. And it is one of the smartest, most cost-effective investments we can make for young families who call our state home.

Other countries prove that this multi-pronged approach works. It’s time for Maine to prove once again what is possible when we choose to help people in the most positive way possible.

The challenges in front of us are big, but not bigger than Maine. We’ve faced harder tests and emerged stronger because we acted with determination, compassion, and a clear moral compass.

I’m running for governor because I want to feed kids, fix housing, fund health care, and fuel growth. In the state where the sun first rises, Dirigo is not a slogan. It is a responsibility. And in the fight for our health, this is not a challenge for the next generation to solve; it is a mission for this one to complete. And once again, it’s time for us to lead.