'Grey's Anatomy' Star Patrick Dempsey Shuts Down Maine Senate Speculation
Patrick Dempsey has ruled out a run for Maine's U.S. Senate seat, putting an end to days of speculation that the Grey's Anatomy star might step into the race following Democratic nominee Graham Platner's decision to suspend his campaign.
Dempsey, 60, addressed the speculation directly in an op-ed published Wednesday in the Portland Press Herald. "Over the past several days, I've been asked a question more than once: Would you ever run for the United States Senate?" he wrote. "It's flattering, and I don't take it lightly."
A Maine Native Weighs In
Dempsey, who was raised outside Lewiston-Auburn, wrote that he gave the idea genuine consideration, saying he understood a Senate run could "make a meaningful difference" given the state's political moment. He described feeling deep concern for the direction of the country and said he cares about the issues facing his home state, including education and health care.
Ultimately, though, Dempsey said he concluded that continuing his current work would let him contribute more than holding office would. "After a lot of thought, I realized the answer is no," he wrote. "Not because public service isn't honorable. It absolutely is. But because I believe I can contribute more effectively through the life I've already built."
Dempsey pointed to his work founding the Dempsey Center, an organization providing free cancer care and support services that he established in 2008 amid his mother's battle with ovarian cancer, as an example of the kind of impact he wants to continue building on outside elected office.
The Backdrop: A Campaign in Turmoil
Dempsey's name entered the political conversation after Graham Platner, the 41-year-old veteran and oyster farmer who won the Democratic primary in June, announced Wednesday that he was suspending his Senate campaign following a Politico report in which a Maine woman accused him of rape. Platner has denied the allegation but said in a video posted to social media that he intended to file paperwork to formally withdraw from the race.
As speculation grew over who might step in to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins, some Maine Democrats and national commentators floated Dempsey's name as a potential replacement, citing his roots in the state and his public profile. Dempsey did not name Platner or endorse any specific candidate being considered to replace him in his op-ed, instead focusing on the broader qualities he hopes Maine's next Senate candidate will bring to the race.
What Dempsey Is Asking For Instead
Rather than entering the race himself, Dempsey used his op-ed to lay out the kind of leadership he believes Maine needs right now. "I want someone who leads with empathy," he wrote. "Someone who listens before speaking, who has the courage to work with people they disagree with and who understands that public office isn't about power. It's about service."
He closed by turning his focus back to voters rather than any single candidate, urging Mainers to consider what they can personally contribute regardless of who ends up on the ballot. "So no, I'm not running for office," he wrote. "But I am asking something of the people who do: Lead with humility. Tell the truth. Put people before party."
Maine Democrats now have roughly two weeks to select a new nominee ahead of the state's candidate submission deadline, with Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former state Sen. Troy Jackson and former Maine CDC director Nirav Shah among those reportedly under consideration.
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