AUGUSTA, MAINE— After a thorough screening and endorsement process led by Maine Education Association (MEA) members from every corner of the state, MEA members have chosen to endorse three candidates in the upcoming ranked-choice gubernatorial primary, ranking Shenna Bellows as the first choice, followed by Troy Jackson as their second choice, and Dr. Nirav Shah as their third choice.
“MEA members have chosen to lean into ranked choice voting and endorse Bellows, Jackson, and Shah after a robust primary endorsement process,” said MEA president Jesse Hargrove. “Every candidate was invited to take part in a thorough, educator‑led process that included school visits, forums, questionnaires, and interviews with elected MEA members from across Maine.”
Shenna Bellows currently serves as Maine’s Secretary of State and is the first woman elected to hold the office. Prior to that role, she served two terms in the Maine State Senate representing communities in Kennebec County, including Gardiner, Hallowell, Winthrop, Readfield, and Manchester. Bellows told MEA members that, if elected governor, she would focus on public education and commit to putting the needs of students and educators at the center of her decisions.
Troy Jackson was the former Senate President and served more than 20 years in the Maine Legislature including 12 years in legislative leadership. He has consistently earned strong ratings on the MEA legislative scorecard, advocating for MEA members with a long record of support for public schools, students, and working families. During his time in the Senate, Jackson worked to increase school funding to 55 percent, protect the public employees’ pension system, support binding arbitration for public sector employees, and secure increased funding and wages for school support staff.
Dr. Nirav Shah served as the former Director of the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Educators came to know him through his leadership and public communication during the COVID‑19 pandemic. A graduate of public schools, Shah has said he would bring the same respect for educators and commitment to collaboration as governor that he demonstrated while working with schools during the pandemic.
All three candidates have committed to listening to and respecting educators and to prioritizing their needs in state government. They have also committed to strengthening the collective bargaining process for public sector workers, expanding mental health supports for students, fully funding local public schools, and improving public higher education through improved governance and funding.
The Maine Education Association invited all Republican and Democratic candidates for governor to participate in the screening and endorsement process. One Republican candidate completed the questionnaire and participated in other parts of the process but withdrew from the race prior to the Screening and Endorsement Committee meeting.
The MEA’s support applies only to the primary election. Following the primaries, the association will conduct another screening and endorsement process in July and will invite Democratic, Republican, and unenrolled candidates to participate.
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The Maine Education Association is the largest professional association and union in the state of Maine representing more than 24,000 teachers, support staff, higher education faculty and staff, pre-service teachers and retired educators. The MEA is an organization for educators, run by educators and is here to support and strengthen educators in their career. When educators are in a strong position, our kids thrive. At MEA, we work hard so educators can focus on inspiring the passion for knowledge in the minds of Maine’s students. To learn more about the MEA, visit the MEA About page.
