Patrick Dempsey has ruled out any possibility of running for the U.S. Senate seat in Maine. This ends days of speculation over whether the Grey’s Anatomy alum would step into politics amid turmoil surrounding Democratic nominee Graham Platner‘s withdrawal from the race.
The actor addressed the question in an op-ed published in the Portland Press Herald. Dempsey, a Maine native, revealed that multiple people had approached him in recent days asking whether he would consider entering the race. He called the idea flattering but ultimately said politics is not the path he wants to take.
“I love my home state of Maine. I care deeply about the people who live there and, like so many Americans, I’m concerned about the direction our country is heading,” Dempsey wrote.
Dempsey continued that after considerable thought, he realized the answer is no, explaining that it is not because public service isn’t honorable but because he believes he can contribute more effectively through the life he has already built.
The 60-year-old actor, best known for playing neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd on the long-running ABC medical drama, said his continued involvement with the Dempsey Center, the cancer support nonprofit he founded, is where he feels he can make the most impact.
“I want someone who leads with empathy,” he noted. “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.”
“Most of all, I want integrity. That may sound idealistic today, but it shouldn’t,” he added.
According to a survey conducted by Democratic polling firm Tavern Research, Dempsey’s name appeared as a possible contender to replace Platner, alongside former state Senate President Troy Jackson and Nirav Shah, a former director of Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dempsey also weighed in on the broader stakes of the moment. He described the coming weeks, during which Democrats will scramble to settle on a replacement nominee to take on Republican Sen. Susan Collins, as a very important time for Maine. He wrote that democracy depends on more than elections.
On a more positive note, he wrote, “I haven’t lost faith in our country. I’ve witnessed too much kindness for that. I’ve seen communities rally around families they’ve never met. I’ve seen strangers become caregivers. I’ve seen generosity that asks for nothing in return.
Closing out his op-ed, Dempsey reminded readers that public office is a privilege rather than a career path, and that leadership is not measured by how loudly someone speaks or how often they appear on television, but by whether people’s lives improve because of their service.
He concluded that it was the kind of leadership he believes Maine and America deserve.
