Citing a campaign polling memo released on January 26, the Nirav Shah for Governor campaign has asserted that Dr. Nirav Shah is the clear “frontrunner” in the Democratic primary for governor of Maine, reinforcing findings from a December Pan Atlantic Research poll that reported his “solid lead” in the five-candidate race.

According to the campaign, the internal survey was conducted by veteran Democratic pollster Fred Yang of Hart Research Associates between January 15 and 19. The poll surveyed 502 likely Democratic primary voters and found Dr. Shah leading the field with 35 percent support. The campaign said this places him 22 points ahead of his nearest competitor and gives him more support than his next two opponents combined.

“The survey shows Dr. Shah leading in every part of the state, across all ideological segments of the Democratic primary, and with every age group — from voters under 35 to those over 70. No other candidate demonstrates comparable geographic or demographic breadth of support,” said pollster Fred Yang of Hart Research. “Shah not only earns the support of a clear plurality of primary voters, but he also has the highest ‘intense’ support—72% of Shah voters say they strongly support him.”

Campaign Manager Kayla vanWieringen described the polling results as part of a consistent pattern.

“These results aren’t an outlier — they’re a trend,” vanWieringen said. “From independent survey research and our own data, to what we’re seeing on the ground at packed town halls and field events across the state, Mainers are consistently telling us they trust Dr. Shah’s calm, tested leadership and his ability to stand up to Donald Trump. This campaign is resonating because it’s rooted in support from people who have seen him in action and trust him to lead again.”

The statement noted that Hart Research is a nationally recognized Democratic polling firm with experience in competitive gubernatorial races. The firm has worked on recent Democratic victories, including Governor Andy Beshear’s reelection in Kentucky and Governor Wes Moore’s election in Maryland, including Moore’s competitive Democratic primary where he began with 1 percent support.

Yang has also conducted polling for statewide figures such as Maryland U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks and Georgia U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, both of whom won competitive primaries and general elections, the campaign said. Hart Research is known for its “rigorous methodology and deep expertise” in Democratic primaries and closely contested general elections, according to the statement.

“These results are encouraging but the work of earning trust never stops,” Dr. Shah said. “Our focus remains the same: earning every voter’s support by listening, learning, and outlining real solutions to Maine’s most pressing issues — from housing affordability to quality health care.”

The campaign also emphasized that Dr. Shah is the first and only candidate in the Democratic primary to publicly release internal polling. 

The new survey, it said, further underscores the campaign’s momentum, noting that in just ten weeks it raised $510,000 and secured endorsements from 3.14 Action, a national organization supporting candidates with science and technical backgrounds, and IMPACT, an organization focused on advancing South Asian political engagement and leadership.

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