Patrick Dempsey broke his silence on his future in the political sphere.
Dempsey, 60, admitted he “gave it real thought” as he mulled over the idea of running for Senate in a Portland Press Herald op-ed published Wednesday.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” star wondered if he would be able to make a “meaningful difference” and encouraged elected officials to “put people before party” as he pondered effective leadership qualities.
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“Over the past several days, I’ve been asked a question more than once: Would you ever run for the United States Senate?” Dempsey wrote. “It’s flattering, and I don’t take it lightly. 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 gave a run for office “real thought,” but “not because I was looking for a new career, but because I asked myself an honest question: Could I make a meaningful difference?”
“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.”
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“Most of all, I want integrity. That may sound idealistic today, but it shouldn’t.”
Growing up in the Twin Cities of Maine, Dempsey learned “that dignity comes from work and from community,” and acknowledged how many families built their lives around working in mills or lumber businesses, but those “opportunities disappeared.”
“The challenges are different but no less serious today,” Dempsey wrote. “Families worry about heating their homes, paying the electric bill, buying groceries, and affording healthcare. Too many parents are making impossible choices every month.
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“For some children, school meals are the most dependable food they’ll receive that day. Those aren’t political talking points. They’re realities.”
He noted that through his Dempsey Center, he connected with thousands of families faced with “another unimaginable burden: cancer.”
“A cancer diagnosis doesn’t only threaten your health,” he wrote. “It can threaten your financial security, your relationships, your future and your peace of mind. Even families with insurance often struggle under the weight of treatment.”
He continued, “Healthcare shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It should be one of the places where Americans expect their elected leaders to work together and deliver meaningful solutions. Those solutions require cooperation.”
Dempsey also acknowledged education as another deeply personal issue as he struggled in school due to a missed dyslexia diagnosis.
“As I reflected on all of this, I kept coming back to one question: Do I truly want to serve in Congress?” Dempsey asked. “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.”
“Democracy depends on more than elections. It depends on trust, accountability, respect for the Constitution and a willingness to believe that people with different opinions are still our fellow Americans.”
He added, “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.”
“Whether you’re an elected official, a teacher, a nurse, a business owner, a parent or a volunteer, service begins with one simple question: How can I make someone else’s life a little better?” he asked.
“That’s the work I want to keep doing. So no, I’m not running for office. But I am asking something of the people who do. Lead with humility. Tell the truth. Put people before party.”
He noted, “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.
“That’s the kind of leadership Maine deserves. It’s the kind of leadership America deserves, too.”
