For 11 seasons, Patrick Dempsey played a doctor on TV — specifically Dr. Derek Shepherd, a.k.a. Dr. McDreamy on mega-hit medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Now, the actor is confronting reports that he’s weighing a shift from showbiz to politics, and has been considering running for a Senate seat in Maine.
A Democratic Opening in Maine
Rumors began swirling of a Dempsey Senate run as the campaign of Graham Platner imploded. Platner — a former oyster farmer and U.S. Marine challenging longtime Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins — was initially considered a serious contender to unseat Collins until a series of unsavory scandals caused his campaign to unravel.
With the midterm elections just a few months away, state Democrats are now seeking a new candidate to replace Platner. Dempsey has been among the names that have been floated as a replacement.
Patrick Dempsey Spoke About a Potential Senate Run
As rumors that Dempsey would throw his hat into the race heated up, the actor confronted the reports in an essay he wrote for the Portland Press Herald.
As it turned out, Dempsey’s intentions were spelled out explicitly in the title of that editorial: “Why I’m Not Running for U.S. Senate.”
He Gave ‘Real Thought’ to a Senate Run
In his editorial, Dempsey revealed he’d been repeatedly asked about his willingness to run for Senate in recent days.
“It’s flattering, and I don’t take it lightly,” Dempsey wrote. “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.”
He went on to reveal that he’d given the notion serious consideration. “I gave it real thought,” Dempsey continued. “Not because I was looking for a new career, but because I asked myself an honest question: Could I make a meaningful difference?”
He Ultimately Decided Against It
Dempsey then listed all the attributes he’d like a Maine Senator to have, and listed some of the many challenges facing American citizens at the moment.
“As I reflected on all of this, I kept coming back to one question: Do I truly want to serve in Congress?” Dempsey wrote. “After a lot of thought, I realized the answer is no. 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.”
A Call to Action
Dempsey concluded his editorial by confirming he would not be entering the political arena. “So no,” he wrote, “I’m not running for office.”
He wrapped by issuing a plea to whoever does become Maine’s Democrat Senate candidate.
“Lead with humility,” he wrote. “Tell the truth. Put people before party. Remember that public office is a privilege not a career path and that leadership isn’t measured by how loudly you speak or how often you’re on television. It’s measured by whether people’s lives are better because you served.”
Finally, he wrote, “That’s the kind of leadership Maine deserves. It’s the kind of leadership America deserves, too.”
