Tammy Duckworth opposes Shah bid to replace Graham Platner
Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Thursday urged Maine Democratic Senate candidate Nirav Shah to end his campaign to replace Graham Platner, citing his record as Illinois public health director during a deadly Legionnaires' disease outbreak that killed at least a dozen veterans. Her opposition could shape Maine Democrats' scramble to field a new nominee before a July 27 deadline.
The Illinois Democrat's intervention lands as Maine's party races to replace Platner after he dropped his bid amid scandal and sexual assault allegations. Duckworth, who would serve alongside Shah in the Senate if he won, posted on X that "Maine deserves better than someone who put his public image before the safety of our Veterans."
Key Takeaways
- Tammy Duckworth publicly urged Nirav Shah to withdraw from Maine's Senate race to replace Graham Platner.
- Duckworth revived criticism of Shah's handling of a 2015 Legionnaires' outbreak that killed veterans in Quincy, Illinois.
- She and Sen. Dick Durbin called for Shah's resignation in 2018 while he led the Illinois Department of Public Health.
- Maine Democrats have until July 27 to select a replacement nominee if Platner formally withdraws by Monday.
- Shah has dismissed prior attacks as "dirty politics" and a "distraction" from his public-health record.
Why is Tammy Duckworth opposing Nirav Shah's Senate bid?
Duckworth said "too many of our heroes lost their lives under Nirav Shah's watch as Illinois Public Health Director," according to The Hill. She added: "I called for his resignation then, and I strongly oppose his run for Senate now."
Her criticism is not new. In a 2018 joint statement with Sen. Dick Durbin, Duckworth said there was "definitive evidence that a serious public health crisis was underway" at the Illinois Veterans' Home in Quincy in 2015, and that the Rauner administration and Shah "chose to sit on their hands as veterans and staff at the home fell victim to these deadly bacteria."
What happened during the Illinois Legionnaires' disease outbreak?
While Shah directed the Illinois Department of Public Health from 2015 to 2019, a Legionnaires' disease outbreak at the Quincy veterans home killed at least 13 veterans and sickened dozens more, The Hill reported. The Bangor Daily News reported that 74 people were sickened and a dozen died, and that his office did not notify families or the public about the initial outbreak for six days.
The Bangor Daily News also reported that Shah's office later declined to cite the facility for a safety violation. Duckworth and Durbin called for his resignation in late 2018 over the response.
How is Maine replacing Graham Platner on the ballot?
Shah finished third in this year's Democratic gubernatorial primary before entering the Senate contest after Platner's withdrawal. Maine Democrats are now organizing an unprecedented convention to pick a replacement, with a 5 p.m. July 27 deadline under state law, assuming Platner formally withdraws by the statutory deadline this coming Monday.
The race carries national weight as Democrats seek to hold a competitive seat. Public-health leadership and crisis accountability are recurring themes in politics and technology coverage, including in our Future Tech & AI Wonders section.
What has Nirav Shah said in response?
During his earlier gubernatorial campaign, Shah characterized the Legionnaires criticism as a "distraction" and "dirty politics," The Hill reported. After leaving Illinois, he joined the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the Bangor Daily News.
Shah holds medical and law degrees from the University of Chicago and previously worked for the Cambodian Ministry of Health, according to the Bangor Daily News. Whether Maine Democrats heed Duckworth's warning will likely become clear as the party's selection process accelerates.