Patrick Dempsey gave 'real thought' to Senate run amid Graham Platner sex assault allegations
· Toronto Sun
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Despite some serious consideration, Patrick Dempsey has ruled himself out of Maine’s high-profile U.S. Senate race.
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The former Grey’s Anatomy star ended speculation that he would enter the world of politics in his home state by stepping in after Democratic nominee Graham Platner abruptly dropped out of the race late Wednesday.
Dempsey, best known for playing neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd on the long-running ABC medical drama, said he will not be throwing his hat into the Senate ring after his name was floated as a potential replacement for Platner.
What are Dempsey’s concerns?
“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 in an op-ed for the Portland Press Herald .
“It’s flattering, and I don’t take it lightly,” he continued. “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 continued: “I gave it real thought. Not because I was looking for a new career, but because I asked myself an honest question: Could I make a meaningful difference?”
He later admitted: “Do I truly want to serve in Congress? After a lot of thought, I realized the answer is no.”
The Memory of a Killer star added: “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.”
Platner’s political implosion
Dempsey’s announcement was published about four hours before Platner exited the key Senate race.
The Marine veteran and oyster farmer withdrew late Wednesday after he was accused of sexual assault by a former girlfriend, an allegation he has staunchly denied.
Platner faced fresh scrutiny on Monday after the woman alleged that he forced her to have sex nearly five years ago.
Jenny Racicot, 41, told Politico that she and Platner were in an on‑and‑off relationship for more than two years until she cut him off in late 2021 after a drunk Platner entered her home uninvited and forced himself on her.
In a video posted on social media on Monday, Platner shot down the allegations, stating that “any accusation of non-consensual behaviour is categorically false.”
He added: “We are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to.”
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) July 6, 2026
On Wednesday, Platner posted an 11-minute video on X insisting his decision to step down was not an admission of wrongdoing.
“We’re not doing it because of the allegations,” he said. “We’re doing it because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power.”
My name might be on the ballot right now, but that ballot line belongs to the people of Maine. pic.twitter.com/RKVyLU76tm
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) July 9, 2026
What happens now?
Platner had won the Democratic nomination in June and was set to challenge longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins before his campaign came undone.
His withdrawal came just days before the deadline for Democrats to replace him on the November ballot, and amid urging from prominent Democrats for him to step aside.
The Maine Democratic Party must now choose a new nominee to take on Collins in the closely watched Senate race.
Dempsey did not endorse a replacement, only saying that Maine needs a candidate who offers “a new approach to how we govern ourselves.”
The Maine native and founder of the Dempsey Center, which provides no-cost support for those impacted by cancer, added: “Most of all, I want integrity.
“That may sound idealistic today, but it shouldn’t.”